Learn more about David Chin and his career advice to always be open to learning about as many aspects of your work as possible.
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Joint Munitions Command is leveraging AI analytics to safeguard the Organic Industrial Base.
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Integrating AI with continuous process improvement in the U.S. Army.
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Inside the development and adoption of AI chatbots—most notably, the Army’s new CamoGPT.
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CLEAR TO FLYThe Army MX Autonomous Test Platform configured with Launched Effects options. (Photo by SGT David Resnick, Office of the Secretary of the Army) A new take on an…
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COMMAND/ORGANIZATION: Program Executive Office for Combat Support and Combat Service Support TITLE: Logistics management specialist YEARS OF SERVICE IN AAW WORKFORCE: 16 DAWIA CERTIFICATIONS: Advanced in life cycle logistics; Practitioner…
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A PROACTIVE CYBERSECURITY STRATEGYOrganizations must define and understand what correct data and system states look like prior to deploying tools such as firewalls or intrusion detection systems. Cybersecurity measures are…
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MAP BREAKSoldiers at the Tactical Systems Integration Facility at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, use digital planning platforms to project live geospatial, weather and force structure data onto a map. (Photo…
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EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS The FLRAA team shows Col. Matthew Scher, the 25th Combat Aviation Brigade commanding officer, what his Soldiers can expect from the FLRAA in the 3rd Battalion, 25th Aviation…
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NEXT STOP, RETIREMENT The retirement process can be overwhelming. Being prepared and remaining well-informed about proper retirement planning can ease anxiety and help retirees adjust and enjoy their new lifestyle.…
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CREATING WITH CADPPTE participants gain digital engineering experience by integrating various tools and processes, including CAD software, enabling engineers to explore how products operate in real-world conditions. (Photo by ThisIsEngineering,…
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BETTER COMMAND OF THE BATTLEFIELDA service member from the 19th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Utah National Guard, prepares for Exercise Hydra, May 8, 2025, at the Utah Test and Training…
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A DIME FOR A CAROUSEL RIDE DEVCOM CBC electrical engineer James Severtsen demonstrates how the DIMES are inserted into the carousel attachment on the FLIR Skyraider quadcopter. The quadcopter can…
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COMMAND/ORGANIZATION: Program Executive Office for Aviation – International Apache TITLE: International program manager YEARS OF SERVICE IN AAW WORKFORCE: 5 DAWIA CERTIFICATIONS: Foundational in life cycle logistics; Project Management Professional…
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FIELD ENGAGEMENT CECOM Integrated Logistics Support Center IT Radio Logistics Assistance Representatives and SEC Software Support Representatives participate in a motor pool terrain walk hosted by 210 Field Artillery Brigade…
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TEST SUBJECT In a simulation, Navy Lt. Anh Nguyen, a master’s student who is currently evaluating the use of the IVAS augmented reality software, initiates treatment of a wounded warfighter…
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The Army Acquisition Workforce is entering a new era of efficiency and effectiveness.
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TECHNOLOGICAL SUPPORT The travel industry is turning to technology more and more to cope with increasing logistical challenges. (Photo by Anna Shvets, Pexels) Rising travel logistics solutions could be as…
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AUKUS TALKS Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth hosts a bilateral exchange with Australian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles at the Pentagon in Washington on Feb. 7, 2025. (Photo by Madelyn…
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DRINK WATER Dehydration is caused by not drinking enough water. The amount of water necessary to keep someone hydrated depends greatly on the weather, the amount of physical activity and…
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Army AL&T magazine’s final print edition releases this summer discussing cybersecurity, network development, software modernization and AI. by Cheryl Marino FORT BELVOIR, Va. (July 11, 2025)—Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming…
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INSIDE INFORMATION CMOSS cards are embedded with networked capabilities like positioning, navigation and timing, mission command applications or radio waveforms, which can be inserted into a common ruggedized chassis inside…
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COMMAND/ORGANIZATION: Program Executive Office for Command, Control, Communications and Network TITLE: Assistant product manager YEARS OF SERVICE IN AAW WORKFORCE: 1 DAWIA CERTIFICATIONS: Contracting Professional EDUCATION: M.S. in information technology,…
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READY TO LAUNCH The Uncrewed Aircraft Systems Project Management Office, in collaboration with the U.S. Special Operations Command, executed a successful flight demonstration involving the first launch of the Air-Launched,…
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GOOD BOY Lenny, a three-year-old Belgian Malinois explosive detection K9, poses for a picture at AUSA in October 2024. He is focused on his handler, Alisa Chmielinski, director of training…
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COMMAND/ORGANIZATION: Army Contracting Command-Redstone Arsenal TITLE: Lead contract specialist YEARS OF SERVICE IN AAW WORKFORCE: 21 DAWIA CERTIFICATIONS: Contracting Professional EDUCATION: B.S. in business management, Alabama A&M University AWARDS: Army…
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EYE ON THE PRIZE Delaney Smith, Deep Breathe manager of data science and research, and Rob Arntfield, M.D., Deep Breathe founder and CEO, show off the Canadian company’s first-place award…
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LIVE ACTION Soldiers train with synthetic Claymore mine, mortar, grenade and Stinger weapons systems to determine if they accurately portray a live-fire weapon during an operational demonstration of the STE…
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Recognizing employee achievements through awards is a powerful way to boost morale and strengthen Army Acquisition Workforce (AAW) culture.
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COMMAND/ORGANIZATION: Project Manager, Maneuver Ammunition Systems within Joint Program Executive Office for Armaments and Ammunition TITLE: Business management specialist YEARS OF SERVICE IN WORKFORCE: 5 DAWIA CERTIFICATIONS: Contracting Professional EDUCATION:…
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TEAM OF RIVALS Horse cavalry and tanks that made up part of team “Blue” during the Louisiana Maneuvers in September 1941 advance in a heavy downpour of rain that turned…
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BRIDGING THE GAP The first prototype printed bridge in the Americas, constructed (and reinforced) with 3D printed double-T beams made of concrete. The ability to 3D print materials on-site and…
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WHEN DISASTER STRIKES Former U.S. Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth joins USACE Commanding General and Chief of Engineers Lt. Gen. Scott Spellmon and other USACE and Unified Command representatives…
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MOVING ALONG A family of Medium Tactical Vehicles with shelters are loaded and chained to railcars at Fort McCoy, Wisconsin. The DPE teams ensure large systems can be secured to…
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UNDERGOING DIVESTMENT EMARSS is currently undergoing divestment from the PEO IEW&S portfolio since early 2023. (Photo courtesy of PEO IEW&S) What happens after Army equipment and systems become obsolete. by…
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Maj. Nicholas Corby COMMAND/ORGANIZATION: Product Manager Large Caliber Ammunition, Program Manager Maneuver Ammunition Systems, Joint Program Executive Office for Armaments and Ammunition TITLE: Assistant program manager YEARS OF SERVICE IN…
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PROTOTYPE LINEUP Early developmental 7.62 mm OWL ammunition from Nammo, in a 4:1 configuration, paired with an M60A1, highlighting previous EMD achievements. (Photo courtesy of JPEO A&A) Innovation at the…
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MEDICAL READINESS A Soldier conducts maintenance on a ventilator at the Medical Equipment Concentration Site for the 88th Readiness Division in Ogden, Utah, during the COVID-19 response effort in April…
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COMMAND/ORGANIZATION: Project Manager, Close Combat Systems within Joint Program Executive Office for Armaments and Ammunition TITLE: Product director demilitarization YEARS OF SERVICE IN WORKFORCE: 23 DAWIA CERTIFICATIONS: Advanced, program management;…
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TEACH THE FUTURE Gen. Gary Brito, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command’s commanding general, discusses the importance of understanding the military decision-making process with a Logistics Captains Career Course at…
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SECURITY LOCKED DOWN The ZT framework hinges on the philosophy of never trust, always verify. (Image by Kevin Deegan, CECOM SEC) CECOM SEC leads Zero Trust implementation.by Kevin Deegan In…
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COMMAND/ORGANIZATION: Army Contracting Command – Redstone Arsenal TITLE: Director, business management/contracting operations YEARS OF SERVICE IN ACQUISITION WORKFORCE: 19 YEARS OF MILITARY SERVICE: 30 DAWIA CERTIFICATIONS: Professional in contracting; Advanced…
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IN FULL FLIGHT The multi-mission UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter, pictured here at the Sikorsky Development Flight Center in West Palm Beach, Florida, is more capable, more survivable, more powerful and…
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by Cheryl Marino FORT BELVOIR, Va. (Apr. 15, 2025)—Army acquisition is an integral part of military operations and it doesn’t stop at the edge of the Pentagon. Among the 80…
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WELL-DESERVED AWARD Everett Roper, Ph.D., who recently went through the Centralized Section List process and was chosen for a GS-15 project manager position, receives the Professional Achievement in Government Award…
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COMMAND/ORGANIZATION: Joint Program Executive Office for Armaments & Ammunition/Directorate of Integration TITLE: Environmental, safety and occupational health manager YEARS OF SERVICE IN WORKFORCE: 15 DAWIA CERTIFICATIONS: Practitioner, engineering and technical…
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CONGRATULATIONS ARE IN ORDER The 2024 Army Acquisition Hall of Fame inductees were honored at the Army Acquisition Hall of Fame ceremony during the 2024 Association of the United States…
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SWEARING IN CEREMONY Chris Young is officially commissioned as a major at the Direct Commission Course on August 16, 2024, at Fort Moore, Georgia. Embracing a new role in the…
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NO TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES Twenty-five warrant officers completed the Talent Acquisition Course on July 11, 2024, at Fort Knox, Kentucky, to become Talent Acquisition Technicians—the Army’s newest Military Occupational Specialty, 420T.…
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by Holly DeCarlo-White FORT BELVOIR, Va. (March 14, 2025)—Army AL&T Frontline Favorites celebrate the top five articles published during the past year selected by audience engagement. These impressive written submissions…
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SHOULDERING THE BURDEN: Sgt. Elijah Tovar with the 2nd Squadron of the 3rd Cavalry Regiment Fox Crew, prepares to launch an RQ-11 Raven drone to conduct surveillance in the training…
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A LOOK INSIDE: Young Bang, principal deputy assistant secretary for the Army for acquisition, logistics and technology joins Darryl Colvin, joint program executive officer for chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear…
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by Cheryl Marino FORT BELVOIR, Va. (Oct. 3, 2024) — Capturing useful emerging technology and integrating it into modernization requires a deliberate and strategic approach. The Assistant Secretary of…
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BASIC CBRN TRAINING: U.S. Army Spc. James Collins, 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command, secures his mask during a comprehensive CBRN training held by Headquarters and Headquarters Battery on…
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PUTTING AI TO THE TEST: Soldiers assigned to the 6th Squadron, 8th Cavalry Regiment, and the Artificial Intelligence Integration Center, conduct drone test flights and software troubleshooting during Allied Spirit…
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TAKING NO RISKS: U.S. Marines from the Chemical & Biological Incident Response Force (CBIRF) participate in a Product Manager Risk Reduction activity at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland in October 2023.…
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A CORE CATEGORY: Contracting is one of the six major functional areas in the Back-to-Basics framework. Col. Daphne Austin, right, 410th Contracting Support Brigade commander, takes Megan Dake, middle, the…
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TAKING FIRST PLACE: Matt Willis, Ph.D., left, director of Army Prize Competitions and Army SBIR Program, awards Steve Cameron, Enveil, Inc. chief of customer service, a first-place award for xTechPrime’s…
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ON TRACK: As new data sources become available, so must methods to track data from those sources. (Photo by Anete Lusina, Pexels) Data transportation and maintenance: Getting battlefield…
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MAINTAINING SUPPLY: The Army Climate Strategy aims at establishing a road map for building resilient supply chains while also achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. (Photo by Cottonbro Studio,…
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TAKE AIM: A sniper rifle atop a recycled textile sorbent mat during a demonstration of the DOD STED program at Fort Moore, Georgia. (Photo by George Handy) Utilizing…
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HARD CASE: The interior of the Negatively Pressurized CONEX at the Center for Sustainment of Trauma and Readiness Skills in Omaha, Nebraska, in June 2023. The NPC was developed using…
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by Ashley M. Kestner The U.S. Army Acquisition Support Center (USAASC) congratulates the Soldiers listed below for their selection into the 51C military occupational specialty (MOS)—contracting noncommissioned officer…
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A FUTURE SYSTEM: Pvt. Bailey Ward, 87th Combat Sustainment Support Battalion, fires an M320 grenade launcher during a qualification event at Fort Stewart, Georgia, Nov. 8, 2023. The Precision Grenadier…
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EFFICIENT WITH FIRE: Open burning of inoperable ammunition at Letterkenny Munitions Center. (Photo by Letterkenny Munitions Center) Determining alternative technology solutions for the Army’s disposal of excess, obsolete…
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by Angela Sanson FORT BELVOIR, Va. — The U.S. Army’s innovative spirit and commitment to acquisition excellence were recognized with three major awards at the prestigious 2023 Defense…
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KEEP AT IT: As leaders, we have to give folks the breadth and depth of experience necessary to meet the increasing demands of our profession. (Image by Gerd Altmann, Pixabay)…
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An Army civilian pursues a change in career path at age 55. by Thomas LaFontaine They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. This idiom has…
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CELEBRATING 60 YEARS: PM CCS celebrated 60 Years as one of the longest tenured PM offices in the Army. (Photo by Todd Mozes, Chugach) How PM Close Combat…
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KNOWLEDGE THROUGH INDUSTRY: Through the PPTE program, participants will gain a better understanding how industry and government work together by promoting increased communication and the sharing of best practices. (Photo…
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The Army is partnering with George Mason University to research new machine learning methods to predict future workforce trends and requirements. by Rebecca Wright Staffing shortages have become…
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A new robotics team is hoping that with Picatinny Arsenal's help, it can get a wider range of youngsters involved in STEM. by Cheryl Marino Science, technology, engineering…
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ARMY ATC: The U.S. Army Aberdeen Test Center Automotive Directorate plans, conducts, analyzes and reports the results of developmental tests, production tests, and other tests specifically focused in the areas…
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SHOW ’EM HOW IT’S DONE: A Soldier operates the wearable version of the Tactical Biological Detector in the field. (Photo by Gabriella White, U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Chemical…
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STRETCHING INTO THE FUTURE: (Photo by Karolina Grabowska, Pexels) Creating cultures that embrace the changing nature of work. by Mika J. Cross The federal workplace has undergone a…
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AND THE AAE AWARD GOES TO: The 2023 Army Acquisition Executive (AAE) awards for excellence in leadership will be presented during a ceremony in January 2024. (Image by tomertu, Adobe…
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YIN AND YANG: The yin and yang depict two opposite but interconnected, mutually perpetuating forces: One is unsustainable without the other. (Image by Peterschreiber.Media via Adobe Stock) PEO…
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TAILOR YOUR CAST: Employers need to tailor their hiring approach to fit the group they are targeting. Just as different types of bait attract different fish, millennials and Gen Z…
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DATA ARCHITECTURE: Through the use of data architecture, data architects can achieve data individuality, cataloging, discovery, accessibility, governance, analytics and retention periods with a well-planned and optimized data storage capability.…
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FORWARD FOCUS: There is no one-size-fits-all approach to implementing work flexibility or modernizing the federal workforce. Focusing on the data and how it ultimately impacts the mission will be key…
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CHOOSE YOUR TOOLS WISELY: The hard work of transitioning the workforce to the new Back-to-Basics model is over, but a lot more is still to come with regards to communication,…
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BUSINESS AS (UN)USUAL: The White House Office of Management and Budget re-entry plan includes a substantial return to in-person work. The plan seeks to “strengthen and empower the federal workforce,…
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Photo by panumas nikhomkhai, Pexels The Army’s new chief information officer discusses his vision for the OCIO and getting the right data to Soldiers. by Jacqueline M. Hames…
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SOUP’S ON: Technical terminology can sometimes feel like a digital alphabet soup, but the Army now offers tools to help its civilian workforce members increase their understanding of the latest…
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THE JOURNEY: Like any well-planned journey, digital transformation requires a clear roadmap and guidance. (Image by Ryan McGuire, Pixabay) The Army promotes a culture of learning by providing…
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XM30 COMBAT VEHICLE: The XM30 Mechanized Infantry Combat Vehicle, shown here in a conceptual illustration, will be the Army’s replacement for the aging M2 Bradley Fighting Vehicle. (Image courtesy of…
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STRONG OBJECTIVES: From left, Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Garrett Yee, vice president and general manager at GDIT; James and Craig Whitten, met in Sept. 2022, in Falls Church. Yee and Whitten…
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MASTER GUNNER 2022: Brig. Gen. Doug Lowrey, right, Mission and Installation Contracting Command’s commanding general, leads Soldiers and civilians participating in physical training, April 4, 2022, to kick off the…
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FERMENTATION IN VATS: DEVCOM Chemical Biological Center’s Biomanufacturing Facility can scale biomanufacturing processes in up to 1,000-liter fermentation vats. Once a process is proven at this level, it can be…
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FUTURE VERTICAL LIFT: Engineers turned to digital engineering to release a model of the barrage relay radio model to the greater DOD community, which is being used by the aviation…
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RAPIDLY ADVANCING TECHNOLOGY: As innovation expands in the tech world, the latest technology trends and developments will be vital for national security. (Photo by ThisIsEngineering, Pexels) A…
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FORT BELVOIR, Va. (Oct. 13, 2023) — Army AL&T magazine has won two prestigious industry awards in the category of government publication: The Summer 2022 issue “Software Acquisition”…
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WORK HARD FOR THE MONEY: Under the GS pay system, salary increases are dictated by time in grade—but with AcqDemo, employees are paid based on their contributions to the organization’s…
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LOGIN TO LEARNING: Soldiers view milSuite login page on a tablet device. (Photo courtesy of milTech) How milSuite is helping shape the future of the Army and…
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Army acquisition professionals inducted into Army Acquisition Hall of Fame by Stefanie Pidgeon WASHINGTON (Oct. 11, 2023)—The story of the Army Acquisition Workforce has been one of continuous…
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WORKING IN TANDEM: Soldiers demonstrate the practical application of the Soldier-Borne Sensor, Nett Warrior and artificial intelligence, working in tandem to enhance the situational awareness of the Soldier. Nett Warrior…
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THE FORGE: BEFORE At Watervliet Arsenal, New York, a cannon tube is being processed through the current rotary forge. Watervliet Arsenal plans to replace the forge with a new, more…
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WORKFORCE IN PROGRESS: The Defense Civilian Training Corps is a pilot project intended to attract new civilian talent to careers within the Department of Defense. (Photo by Pixabay) …
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by Cheryl Marino FORT BELVOIR, Va. (Oct. 3, 2023) — The Army of today, as well as the Army of 2030 and beyond, all depend upon the quality,…
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FUTURE IDEATORS: Matthew Willis, Ph.D., speaks at Black Engineer of the Year Awards (BEYA) Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Conference, Feb. 11, 2023, in Maryland. (Photo by Austin Thomas, Army…
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TOOLS IN USE: Wendy Santiago, data rights analyst, Joint Tactical Networking Center Support, uses the DrScan™ tool, Sept. 18, 2023, at Naval Base Point Loma, Harbor Drive Annex in San…
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SUSTAINMENT THROUGH INSPECTION: Two Soldiers inspect the wave guide and feedhorn assembly of a power amplifier in November 2022. In addition to maintaining systems, using COTS technologies will help the…
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The Army’s Pathfinder Program encourages college students to pursue federal careers in cybersecurity and emerging technology fields. by Rebecca Wright Presently, the demand for cyber professionals exceeds the…
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STUDENTS ON A MISSION: The International Submarine Race returned to the David Taylor Model Basin in West Bethesda, Maryland, June 26-30, 2023. Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division hosts this…
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COORDINATION IS KEY: The President of Romania, Klaus Iohannis; the Prime Minister of Romania, Nicolae Cicua; and the Minister of the Armed Forces of the French Republic, Florence Parly, address…
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DISCUSSION IN PROGRESS: The JPM CBRN Medical and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services discuss preparations and responses to warfighter and public health threats during a panel session…
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CONCEPT OF OPERATIONS: The Army is developing a concept of operations for decision-driven data to describe the transition path where systems and networks become secondary to the data they transmit…
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MOPP UP DUTY: Test players wearing Level 4 Mission Oriented Protective Posture gear advance to treat simulated casualties at a test in June 2021 at Camp Bullis, Texas. (Photo by…
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A TRAINED ARMY: Spc. Griffin Wisehart, an infantryman assigned to Company B, 1st Battalion, 168th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division, loads a round into an…
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PARTNER NATIONS: Spc. Charles Ramirez, an infantryman assigned to 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, aims a simulated Javelin Anti-Tank System during Karelian Lock 23 on Pahkajarvi Training Area, Finland, May…
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ON THEIR WAY: A CH-47 Chinook helicopter ferries an M777 155 mm howitzer in April 2023 on Joint Base Lewis McChord, Washington. Presidential Drawdown 7, approved on April 13, 2022,…
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DESTROY, DEFEAT, DISRUPT: Washington National Guard Soldiers with 81st Stryker Brigade Combat Team take part in Table VI certification live fire at Yakima Training Center, Washington, April 21-23, 2023. The…
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PRESCRIPTION FOR SUCCESS: Ukrainian army Col. Ivan Mykhaylovych Haida, director of the Military Medical Clinical Center of Western Region, discusses his hospital's capabilities and needs with officers from the U.S.…
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PREPARE FOR LAUNCH: U.S. Soldiers with the 2nd Cavalry Regiment launched the Puma unmanned aircraft system at the Grafenwoehr Training Area in Germany on March 17, 2023. (Photos by Spc.…
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WEAPONS LOADED: Pallets of ammunition, weapons and other equipment bound for Ukraine are loaded on a plane during a foreign military sales mission Jan. 24, 2022. Since 2014, the U.S.…
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LET FLY: An M1 Abrams crew member uses a remote control optical device that provides Soldiers with a first-person point of view as a Lethal Miniature Aerial Missile System (LMAMS)…
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by Cheryl Marino FORT BELVOIR, Va. (Aug. 17, 2023)—Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, U.S. and NATO support to Ukraine has been immediate and ongoing. As U.S.…
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FIRING LINE: U.S. Soldiers assigned to 2nd Cavalry Regiment fire an M777 howitzer during a platoon live-fire exercise in October 2022 at Grafenwoehr Training Area, Germany. (Photo by Spc. Ryan…
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LIVE-FIRE EXERCISE: A Soldier from the 45th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Oklahoma Army National Guard radios his unit notifying them the heavy machine guns manned by soldiers of the Ukranian…
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READY TO GO: Pallets of ammunition, weapons and other equipment bound for Ukraine are loaded on a plane in January 2022 during a foreign military sales mission. (Photo by Senior…
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HOME AWAY FROM HOME: Soldiers deployed to Mielec, Poland, in March 2022 are provided tent accommodations with sleeping cots, lighting, electrical outlets and heating. (Photo by Lt. Col. Alan Manzo,…
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HIMARS: Soldiers from the Kansas National Guard's 130th Field Artillery Regiment train with their High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) in September 2022 at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait. (Photo by Sgt.…
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RAMP IT UP: Previously, the Army could stretch out programs. Now, we have to surge in response to urgent needs. (Photo by Dori Whipple, Lake City Army Ammunition Plant, May…
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RADIO JUNGLE: A Soldier with the 25th ID conducts low-cost, secure but unclassified-encrypted radio experimentation during a jungle situational training exercise in support of Operation Tiger Balm, held in Hawaii…
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SUMMER PLANS: The Army will conduct a Satellite Communications (SATCOM) as a Managed Service (SaaMS) Pilot this summer to inform decisions on the service’s potential use of a commercially leased…
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SETTING A-PACE: A Soldier from the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) Signal and Intelligence Support Company configures equipment and devices for use on the network using Automatic-Primary, Alternate, Contingency, and…
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Army Contracting Command offers new training to get civilians and Soldiers up to speed on contract administration. by Stephanie Brown Reviews, audits and investigations tied to DOD…
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How OTA consortia are delivering for defense acquisition and our warfighters. by Al Abramson, Brig. Gen. USA (Ret.) From an acquisition standpoint, the Army’s modernization efforts have…
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LOCATION BASED CHALLENGES: Service members face a host of location-based challenges to their service, from spousal employment to dual military couple co-stationing, from child care to the high cost of…
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CLOUD STORAGE FACILITY: Digital data is stored on servers at off-site locations, maintained by a third-party provider who is responsible for hosting, managing and securing data stored on its infrastructure.…
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NECESSARY PREPARATIONS: Soldiers with Third Platoon, "Blackhorse" Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division wear upgraded Integrated Visual Augmentation System goggles while sitting…
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DETERRENCE UPGRADE: A CATV travels cross-country at the Cold Region Test Center, Alaska. An armored version of the CATV would give Army Alaska units the ability to deter potential attacks.…
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AHD NET: A Soldier from the 8th Theater Sustainment Command at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii operates the watercraft mounted Acoustic Hailing Device during the New Equipment Training event held…
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AI ASSISTANT: Solano used ChatGPT to help write and edit this article. Some acquisition professionals are already using language models to complete tasks in their daily personal lives. (Photo by…
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ACROSS THE ARMY: Branches of the FMMP exist throughout the Army—another branch just launched in March 2023 at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, with Ms. Marion Whicker, Army Materiel Command executive deputy…
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RECONNAISSANCE ROTATION: A Soldier from 25th Infantry Division conducts field reconnaissance Oct. 31 on Pohakuloa Training Grounds, Hawaii. (Photo by Sgt. Daniel Proper, 25th Infantry Division) Future operating…
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STEERING CLEAR OF CONTAMINATION: Two CBRN technicians secure and prepare to decontaminate the unmanned aerial vehicle after it investigates a potentially hazardous cloud. The unmanned ground vehicle in the background…
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FORT BELVOIR, Va. (April 24, 2023)—The editors have voted, the readers have voted, and the results are in! Army AL&T magazine, the award-winning publication of the Army acquisition…
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CAMP 59: A view of Camp 59 in 1941, in a photo taken by the International Committee of the Red Cross during an inspection. (Photo courtesy of the International Committee…
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THE ASSESSMENT: The Integrated Battle Command System Engagement Operations Center undergoes assessment in the prototype integration facility in Huntsville, Alabama. (Images courtesy of the IFMC Project Office) The…
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LOADED: A Soldier loads an M320 grenade launcher during a familiarization range hosted by Special Forces in Syria, July 19, 2020. (Photo by Spc. Chris Estrada, U.S. Army 126th Theater…
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STRANGE REQUIREMENTS: Bradley Fighting Vehicles are good examples of systems with KPPs that ran wild. (Photo by Sgt. Tara Fajardo Arteaga, 113th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment) The Joint…
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by Cheryl Marino FORT BELVOIR, Va. (April 4, 2023) — “New capabilities and concepts” is almost like the chicken-and-egg scenario: Which came first? According to AL&T editor-in-chief, Nelson…
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PREPARED FOR PALLETS: An ammunition handler at Blue Grass Army Depot in Lexington, Kentucky, prepares a number of 155 mm projectile rounds to be repalletized, Sept. 8, 2022. The U.S.…
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In March 2022, the TWI Fellows gathered at Sig Sauer to learn about their business practices and share information from their personal TWI experience. (Photo by Rachel Berry, DACM Office)…
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INSIDER INFO: Brent Perdu, Joint Contingency and Expeditionary Services (JCXS) contract program manager, briefs Dominguez regarding the JCXS contract during his assignment with the TWI program. The DACM…
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TESTING THE LIMITS: National Guard Soldiers don M50 gas masks in response to a simulated chemical attack during a Combat Support Training. Some Army prototypes that showed promise, followed by…
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GATHER THE DATA: Making consumable information out of raw data begins with harvesting data from external and internal sources, like satellites, aircraft, electronic sensors and unit-owned sensors. (Photo by Pok…
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OUTSIDE THE LINES: Amit Kapadia, the chief engineer for Product Manager Synthetic Environment at the Program Executive Office for Simulation, Training and Instrumentation (PEO STRI), speaks to local chief engineers…
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DRIVEN BY DATA: Army HR Command aims to improve the Soldier experience, treating users more like customers and tracking time to resolution for various HR services and requests. (Image by…
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TIES THAT BIND: You’ve found the person you want to spend the rest of your life with, but maintaining employment in your career field after becoming a military spouse is…
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A FAIR TRADE(WIND): Tradewind was formed in early 2021 to set up and manage a prototype business process that streamlines rapid procurement and agile delivery of AI capabilities for DOD.…
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DOUBLE THE FUN: Douglas Bush, assistant secretary of the Army for acquisition, logistics and technology, left, talks with Shannon Sentell, Ph.D., COO of Stealth Power. The business was announced as…
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NEWEST MODEL: Project Manager Tactical Network completed Phoenix E-Model satellite terminal new equipment training for Bravo Company, 50th Expeditionary Signal Battalion-Enhanced, at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, in November 2022. These…
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How new artificial intelligence tools are transforming the Army. by Thom Hawkins Prompt: Write the introduction to an article about how the Army is using generative artificial…
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LOADED FOR LEBANON: MD-530FF Advanced Precision Kill Weapons System aircraft loaded inside a Boeing 747 bound for Beirut, Lebanon, in November 2021. By providing these assets and capabilities, the U.S.…
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ON DISPLAY: Cadets were particularly interested in the Next Generation Squad Weapons display and the M1A1 rifle replacement. Displays like this help plant the idea of becoming an FA 51…
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LOCK IT DOWN: A key pillar of the zero trust initiative is protecting data. (Getty Images) The Army is moving forward aggressively to implement changes that upend the…
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A MODERN ARMY: Leveraging new tools, platforms and processes, the Army aims to modernize its workforce, become a more data-centric organization and deliver a secure, globally dominant cloud ecosystem across…
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DATA-CENTRIC ADVANTAGE: The Army Vantage data platform gives Soldiers the capability, using a suite of tools, to create a custom common operating picture that can track essential functions and enable…
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The Army is optimizing the interoperability of the enterprise through data architecture and standards. by Gregory Smoots, Ph.D. To ensure the safety of Soldiers on the ground, it…
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DATA AMMUNITION: Data and information feed the targeting systems, order the spare parts to maintain mobility and allow for the dissemination of commander’s orders to communicate and maneuver the force.…
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SEEKING SOLUTIONS: Soldiers from the 3rd Squadron, 2nd Cavalry Regiment discuss equipment challenges with Raj Iyer, Ph.D., chief information officer for Information Technology Reform in the Office of the Secretary…
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by Cheryl Marino FORT BELVOIR, Va. (Jan. 17, 2023)—Everything, it seems, is going digital. And all that Army acquisition, logistics and technology does on behalf of the…
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MOVING FORWARD: Maj. Gen. Faulk, commander of the 99th Readiness Division and the Army Reserve senior proponent advisor for acquisition, talks to a Soldier during the question-and-answer session of the…
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MAJOR UPGRADE: PM Tactical Network provides Scalable Network Node new equipment training to Soldiers from the 307th Expeditionary Signal Battalion at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, on April 7, as part of…
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IN BRIEF: First Lt. Kelsea Krauss, assigned to 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, briefs Soldiers on an upcoming exercise during Saber Strike 22 at Kazlu Ruda Air Base, Lithuania. The…
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EQUIPPED FOR THE FUTURE: In supporting the Army’s Digital Transformation Strategy, training current and future Army acquisition leaders will equip those leaders with the knowledge and tools that are essential…
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LESSONS LEARNED: Hacking and other malicious threats lurk online, stressing the importance of exceptional products to thwart these attacks. Contracts to develop these products can and will terminate if the…
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ROCS TEST: Sgt. 1st Class Elijah Williamson, the U.S. Army Medical Test and Evaluation Activity (USAMTEAC) test officer, takes notes as a test player practice administering the Rapid Opioid Countermeasure…
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A NEW CHAPTER FOR SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT: The story of Army modernization in 2023 is a story of software development, interoperability and continuously iterated and integrated software products. (Photo by Getty…
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OCCUPATIONAL HAZARD: After her son was killed during a late-night standoff with police, Adina Peyton was inspired to start a non-profit organization to provide mental health services to first responders…
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DATA-CENTRIC VISION: Within the DOD, the vision has unequivocally been cast for a combined and joint force capable of seamless warfighting across all domains: sea, air, land, space and cyberspace.…
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ASSUMPTION OF DUTIES: ACC-A assumed command from Army Reserve Element on October 22, 2021 at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. ACC-A is responsible for closing out the contracts supporting U.S.…
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After setting up an innovation hub at CISA, Sabra Horne wrote a how-to book for other government organizations. by Michael Bold Two years into her stint working…
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ACQUISITION STRATEGY AT AUSA: Product Lead for Project Linchpin, Bharat Patel, second from right, goes over acquisition strategy with PEO IEW&S headquarters staff Oct. 11 at the AUSA symposium in…
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LIVE FIRE: A Soldier fires the SIG Sauer rifle prototype during mobility testing at Fort Drum, N.Y., in August 2020. Rapid acquisitions and operational requirement development using MTA…
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MIND MELD: Soldier touch point events provided critical feedback for the Army’s test community. (Photo Spc. Ryan Parrl) CS23 enables Stryker squadrons to operate flexible network and situational…
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LET’S SEE WHAT THIS THING CAN DO: A successful demonstration of RAIL’s capabilities was held in April 2021 at Anniston Army Depot, Alabama. (U.S. Army Photo by Mark Cleghorn) …
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MODES OF CONDUCT: Soldiers assigned to the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division conduct mission command and network communications on-the-move, during the Army’s three-week Armored Formation On-The-Move Network…
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Capt. Keyshawn Lee of the Army Software Factory conducts software development activities from his workstation. (U.S. Army photo by Austin Thomas, Army Futures Command) The Army Software…
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WEATHER THE STORM: Lightning strikes behind a B-52H Stratofortress at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, Aug. 8, 2017. In a conventional conflict, the B-52 can accomplish strategic attacks, close-air…
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OPTIONALLY MANNED MOCK-UP: U.S. Army Soldiers sit in a mock-up of the Soldier compartment of a potential design of an Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle during a Soldier touch point at…
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IN THE MIDDLE: A DASC is a middleman—located in the Pentagon, they can attend meetings and respond to tasks on behalf of a program or product management office, and then…
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THE BIG CHILL: The Arctic tundra of Murmansk, Russia, at sunset. Murmansk features a subarctic climate with long and cold winters and short cool summers. In the city, freezing temperatures…
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UP TO THE CHALLENGE: Maj. Kenny Torres of Army Futures Command demonstrates the pull-up bars during the command’s Murph Challenge event at Camp Mabry, Texas, on May 26. The Army…
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OVERDOSE AVERTED: ORA staff are working with private sector pharmaceutical companies to develop a naloxone auto-injector—similar to the materiel pictured here—to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose on the…
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Microsoft Teams allows leaders to check in with their employees in real time and establishes a sense of community among workers. (Image by Getty Images) From the Director of…
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THIS IS JUST A TEST: An AH-64 Apache aircrew conducts a simulated mission in the Combat Aviation Brigade Architecture Integration Lab, Apache systems integration laboratory. A decommissioned Apache fueslage is…
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FOCUS ON FEEDBACK: ROWPU maintenance technicians describe commonly broken parts. From left: Julie Talbot, student; William Quimbayoglen, chief, Army Water Training Division; Brian Scott, student; Matthew Clayton, student; James Walker,…
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OBSERVATIONS AND EXPERIMENTATION: Maj. Gen. Kimberly Colloton and Col. (Ret.) Teresa Schlosser visit an experiment to test the new bunker retrofit at Ft. Polk, Louisiana, in December 2020. …
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THE PROPER TOOLS: The MSL degree program provides Army Acquisition Workforce members with the tools to think more critically about the acquisition process, advance expertise and become more persuasive influencers.…
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PLAN OF ACTION: Decision dominance enables combatant commanders to take decisive advantage in any situation. (Photo by Sgt. David Vermilyea, U.S. Army European Command) How to create first-contact-proof…
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Pine Bluff Arsenal helps to produce the Army’s finest “soft wear.” by Rachel Selby and Justin Lieber Imagine you a have a mission so critical and specialized that…
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IPT collaboratively identifies budget proposal needs to expedite the approval process. by Brooke A. Davis Either in developing it or consuming it, an appetite for cutting edge technology…
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SOLITARY GRIND: Recent studies show that telework can expose employees to psychosocial risks such as feelings of isolation, lack of support, stress and overwork. (Getty Images) U.S. Army…
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TEST RUN: Re-imagining Future Long Range Assault Aircraft means taking real data from flight tests and rigorously refining the requirements to meet the Army’s needs for flight performance, combat survivability,…
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BLAST FROM THE PAST: Sandia National Laboratories researchers Candice Cooper, left; Shivonne Haniff, center; and Paul Taylor use a blast impact simulator to study mechanisms behind traumatic brain injury. Most…
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HIGH PRIORITY: Collaboration among the joint services is a top priority for U.S. Cyber Command. (Photo by Josef Cole, U.S. Cyber Command/DVIDS) One small organization is…
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by Cheryl Marino FORT BELVOIR, Va. (July 5, 2022)—The Summer 2022 issue of Army AL&T magazine focuses on software acquisition, how important it is to do it right,…
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SITE SEEING: Command Sgt. Maj. Sean Rice, senior enlisted advisor at U.S. Army Security Assistance Command, talks with Soldiers assigned to the aviation maintenance unit of the Colombian Army base…
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TROOP TRAINING: Soldiers receive additional HIMARS launchers and training from the STORM Project Office. (Photo by 1st Lt. Kendra Thomas, 18th Field Artillery Brigade) SOFTWARE, LAUNCHED The future…
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THE FIRST OF ITS KIND: Number Crunching circa 1935: U.S. electrical engineer and scientist Dr. Vannevar Bush (1890 - 1974) at the left, where an electrical brain solves mathematical problems…
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ASSEMBLY REQUIRED: The STORM, Defense Contract Management Agency and Lockheed Martin teams gather around a missile-assembly fixture during the tour of the facility. Pictured, from left, are STORM quality analyst…
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DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION: As the keynote speaker at the 6th Annual Business Analytics Symposium held at the University of Texas at Arlington in March, Iyer highlighted relevant details about digital transformation…
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SUCCESS ON STAGE: JA2’s diligent efforts to procure vaccines, therapeutics and enablers have been critical to the nation. (Photo by Staff Sgt. K. Tucker Owen, U.S. Air Force) …
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FITS LIKE A GLOVE: Dr. Muthu Wijesundara (left) is fitted with the ReHeal Glove. (Photo provided by University of Texas at Arlington Research Institute) MTEC gives traction to…
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HELPING HAND: Soldiers from the 25th Combat Aviation Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, work together to overcome an obstacle at the Leader Reaction Course on Schofield Barracks, Hawaii in March 2021…
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RISING INFLUENCE: Women’s roles have become more influential over the past decade, DiVito said. Here, investigator Dr. Keersten Ricks programs software to scan a lateral flow test to determine whether…
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SMILE BIG: Chelsea Haynes, left, with Haynes and Sue Myers, Ph.D. (Col. Ret.)—spouse of Maj. Gen. Greene. Haynes said that Dr. Myers has become like a member of the family…
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LEARN FROM THE USER: Soldier touch points were crucial in the development of the IVAS, and will remain an important factor in future RDT&E efforts. (Photo by Bridgett Siter) …
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by Cheryl Marino FORT BELVOIR, Va. (April 1, 2022)—The Spring 2022 issue of Army AL&T magazine focuses on trends and developments in research, development, test and evaluation…
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SYSTEMATIC STRATEGY: Military leaders, like grandmasters, must seek to understand the board, the position of the pieces and their own limitations and tendencies. (Images by Getty Images) The…
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OUT WITH THE BATHWATER: Retirement brain drain is the loss of critical skills and experience required to maintain the workforce when seasoned employees retire en masse. (Image by Getty Images)…
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STAND-IN: In January 2020, the U.S. Army tested Advanced Running Gear on existing Bradley vehicles for potential use on the future Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle at Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona.…
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TAKING FLIGHT: An AH-64 Apache takes off at Katterbach Army Airfield, Germany, on June 24, 2021. (Photo by Maj. Robert Fellingham, U.S. Army) Prognostic and predictive maintenance…
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TOTAL COVERAGE: U.S. Army Spc. Justin Earnhart pulls security while wearing a joint service general purpose mask during an exercise in the Army Futures Command Best Warrior Competition on Fort…
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ROUGH SEAS: The stakeholder network can answer a boat-load of questions and help workforce members as they navigate the sometimes treacherous waters of career planning and development. (Images by Getty…
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GUIDED TOUR: U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R) and Michael Abaie, program executive officer for PEO ACWA, toured the training center for the chemical weapons processing facility at the Blue Grass…
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LEADER ENGAGEMENT: Maj. Gen. Edmond “Miles” Brown, commanding general of DEVCOM, delivered opening remarks at the xTech Innovation Combine pitch competition on July 21, 2021. Six companies pitched their ideas…
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NIGHT VISION: Soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division participates in a nighttime touch point at White Sands Missile Range during a positioning, navigation and timing assessment exercise in 2021. (Photo…
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By thoughtfully destroying old habits and processes, the Army can challenge the status quo to become stronger and more powerful. by Dr. Bozena “Bonnie” Berdej, Col.…
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HIGH LEVEL CONTACT: Kristjan Prikk, right, Estonian ambassador to the United States, met with U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Timothy Gowen, the adjutant general for the Maryland National Guard, in Baltimore,…
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(Photo by Maj. Joseph Bush, 41st Field Artillery Brigade) "Unusual" approaches to materiel development can be the secret to innovative weapons. by James A. Sarruda and…
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Defensive Cyber Operations pilots a new funding approach for software acquisition and development. by Jennifer Sevier For years, there has been a disconnect between…
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EXERCISING COMMS: The 50th Expeditionary Signal Battalion (Enhanced) and 63rd Expeditionary Signal Battalion conducted a combined large-scale combat operations communications exercise at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, on Sept. 29, 2021.…
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CLOSE QUARTERS: Current processes and network limitations force staffs to be together physically to conduct operations. The metaverse provides a potential solution that could enable operations while inherently making the…
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A new tank cartridge primer reduces manufacturing time and critical defects, improving overall ammunition safety for Soldiers. by Hjalmar “Jay” Canela For today’s Soldiers, maintaining…
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ON THE RIGHT TRACK: Col. Gavin Gardner, left, commander of Joint Munitions Command, rode the rails with Capt. Danielle Chavarria, center, and Col. Stephen Dondero, right, commander of Crane Army…
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by Ellen Summey FORT BELVOIR, Va. (Jan. 3, 2022)—The Winter 2022 issue of Army AL&T magazine takes a closer look at “Alternative Acquisition.” According to Nelson McCouch III, Army…
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DOUBLE TIME: The IVAS program went from a concept to a rapid fielding decision in two years thanks to iterative, Soldier-focused design, alternative acquisition methods and innovations that leveraged existing…
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LIDS TAKES OFF: Commercial off-the-shelf drones have already been deployed to deadly effect in combat, which explains why so many international allies and partners have shown interest in LIDS. (U.S.…
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REMOTE, NOT DISTANT: John Willison, DEVCOM deputy to the commanding general, participated in the "Managing a Remote Workforce" panel on May 25 during the Association for Talent Development government workforce…
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TALENT, TODAY AND TOMORROW: Secretary of the Army Christine Wormuth visited Fort Bragg, N.C., on July 19, where she met with Soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division. Wormuth said the…
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How the Army’s leaders can shape the workplace of tomorrow, starting today. by Ellen Summey The 40-hour work week is a relatively new concept in the history…
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OPENING REMARKS: The Hon. Ellen Lord, former undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment, office of the secretary of defense public affairs, records opening remarks for the TEDxDAU…
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by Cheryl Marino Writing is something we learned early on and use daily—texts, email, presentations, documentation—a skill so routine no one really thinks much about it unless…
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SPEED BY CONSORTIUM: Using consortia, the government can quickly access innovative nontraditional defense contractors. This would be significantly more difficult outside of the consortium other-transaction authority construct. Consortia…
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Optimism about Army modernization just might be reasonable, thanks to alternatives to old school, FAR-based acquisition. by Steve Stark Army acquisition seems to have changed a great deal…
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LEADING THE FIELD: Soldiers assigned to 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division (3/25 ID) operate two-channel leader radios at Kahuku Training Area, Hawaii, on Aug. 22. (Photo by…
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COUNT DAU IN: Spc. Juan Colón Otero helps count COVID-19 vaccines May 21 at the Comprehensive Cancer Research Center in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico. DAU provided a fully embedded cross-functional…
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SUCCESSFUL DEMONSTRATION: Soldiers participate in the 2021 Army Expeditionary Warrior Experiment at Fort Benning, Georgia, in March. During this exercise, LifeLens Technologies successfully demonstrated the Ascent Platform as part of…
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PROTECTION FOR ALL: The need to find and field new technology to detect CBRN threats is pressing—protecting U.S. forces is paramount. AIM is here to help. (Photo by Master Sgt.…
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ASSEMBLY LINE: An Airman unpacks safety needles to be used in syringe assembly. Safety syringes and needles have an attached shield to reduce the risk of accidental injury. (Photo by…
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ASSESSING OPTIONS: Industry-provided MEO, foreground, and GEO, background, ground satellite prototype terminals are seen here during an early Army assessment of managed multi-orbit satellite communications capabilities and services, in March…
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by Ellen Summey FORT BELVOIR, Va. (Oct. 7, 2021)—The Fall 2021 issue of Army AL&T magazine focuses on modernization and enterprise collaboration. “It’s a symbiotic relationship that encourages…
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LET ME REPEAT: Current AI agents consume each request independently of the user’s history—it’s like having a conversation with a goldfish. (Image by Getty Images) Tactical speech…
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CORPS AT WORK: Despite the challenges of COVID-19, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has kept pace with its mission. In February, the Corps worked with the Texas Parks and…
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NETWORK TEST: Sgt. 1st Class Joshua D. Geren tested the Squad Area Network at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in New Jersey, Sept. 10, 2020. The Squad Area Network is a part…
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FIRST OF MANY: John Farhat installs wiring for a UH-60L Black Hawk communications system inside the aircraft tail section at the Corpus Christi Army Depot. This is the first aircraft…
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ROLL CALL: Adm. Mike Mullen, left, then chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, congratulated the author at the National Defense University commencement exercise in June 2010. (Photo courtesy of…
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ENABLING IMPARTIALITY: Not every competitor is a perfect 10. Tools like Valid Eval allow judges to base their scores on specific, measurable criteria, for more accurate results. (Image by Getty…
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SHARED GOALS: Command Sgt. Maj. Sean Rice, left, senior enlisted advisor at U.S. Army Security Assistance Command (USASAC), talks with soldiers assigned to the aviation maintenance unit of…
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IN OUT SIGHTS: “The Army must be manned, trained, equipped, and modernized to be ready to fight today, but also to meet the demands of an uncertain and unpredictable future,”…
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by Ellen Summey Since he was just a kid growing up in Hutchinson, Kansas, Brig. Gen. Garrick Harmon was determined to join the Army—a goal he pursued…
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CONSULTING ALLIES: Brig. Gen. Garrick Harmon, left, commander of the Security Assistance Command at Redstone Arsenal, spoke with senior military members of the Polish army during a June 1 meeting.…
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DRONES ‘R’ US: As drones have become more advanced, less expensive and more widely available, DOD has shifted its approach to dealing with the threats they pose to troops in…
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ACQUISITION ON THE MIND: Behavioral acquisition studies the way acquisition decisions are made. Human personalities, tendencies and biases affect our decisions, even when we think we are making choices based…
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COMMAND PERFORMANCE: Quinn speaks about the transition from the military and how LinkedIn can be an important tool at the main auditorium of the NCO Leadership Center of Excellence and…
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The AT4 Combined Space is fired in the open. (Photo courtesy of PM CCS) Project Manager Close Combat Systems takes the next generation shoulder launched munition in a…
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DIGITAL MEDICINE: A Soldier relays information via a cell phone during an exercise on the TATRC grounds, to highlight the capabilities of the NEXUS laboratory on May 25. …
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The Army is bringing together many sources of data to enable better decision-making with “data fabric.” by Nihar Patel, Upesh Patel, Col. Evert R. Hawk II and Krupal…
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SUPPLY CHAIN IN MOTION: The Army runs on data. EBS-C will enable the Army’s ERPs to more easily share that data, which will in turn provide timely, accurate and readily…
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FAREWELL, FORMS: IPPS-A is shredding the Army’s reliance on paper forms for HR actions. The DA Form 4187 and DA Form 31 will soon be submitted electronically via the Personnel…
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WORKING TOGETHER, GETTING RESULTS: A U.S. Army Aeromedical Research Laboratory flight paramedic tests new items in a space utilization study at the School of Aviation Medicine's DUSTOFF Training complex at…
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by Ellen Summey FORT BELVOIR, Va. (July 28, 2021)—The Summer 2021 issue of Army AL&T magazine focuses on “Enabling Modernization.” Sometimes we’re our own worst enemy in…
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YOU’VE GOT A POINT: McGowan’s company now builds and sells many different types of high-quality audio equipment. (Photo courtesy of PS Audio) High-end stereo manufacturer PS Audio founder…
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A SHOT IN THE ARMP: Spc. Cassandra Acosta, a combat medic at Fort Stewart, Georgia, administers a COVID vaccine to a patient in a community vaccination event in April. Vaccinations…
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by David A. Williams and Cathy VanderMaarel Editor’s note: This article provides updates to an article in the Fall 2020 issue of AL&T magazine that is available…
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By Jason Martin Say Bert and Ernie are working together to push a heavy box on a dolly across the floor. (See Figure 1.) You want to conduct…
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Big data gets the headlines, but most decisions are based on small data, and human beings are naturally bad with it. by Jason Martin The Army’s ability…
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SLEEK AUTOMATION: The Army’s new manufacturing capability will produce the 6.8 mm next-generation family of ammunition without affecting Lake City’s ability to deliver legacy 5.56 mm, 7.62 mm and .50-caliber…
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By Rebecca Leonard Government-owned, contractor-operated (GOCO) Army ammunition plants serve a vital role in producing ammunition for the U.S. armed forces. Energetic and inert materiel components are produced…
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TESTING HEATS UP: After conducing cold-weather tests in Alaska, the IVAS team headed to Puerto Rico for testing in a tropical environment. (Photo by Courtney Bacon, PEO Soldier)…
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Don’t bury your head in the sand—try out your “modern eyes” to modernize the Army. by Elizabeth Chirico Four years ago, I sat at a large table…
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EYES WIDE OPEN: The ENVG-B uses fused white phosphor and thermal technologies. It delivers dual-tubes with improved image intensification, resolution and fused thermal overlay for unmatched visibility at night. (Photo…
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VIRTUAL SOLUTIONS: Team No Sim, No Train—Ksenia Kerentseva, Vipin Verma and James Cook—from Arizona State University works with Airmen at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson to improve training for…
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A CBRN-DEFENSE TOOLBOX: DR SKO, packaged in a cargo container the size of a backyard shed, is a system of sensors and protective equipment that is essentially a CBRN-defense toolbox.…
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A TRADITION OF INNOVATION: The Army has fostered a culture of innovation throughout its history, working with innovators like Bell Labs and other industry partners. Bell’s relay computer was used…
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PRECISION DATA: The TESS is a laser-based system used in live simulation training. It calculates the pilot’s timing, accuracy, the target’s movement, armor and other data to produce scientifically precise…
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FUTURE VISION: JMC’s revised ammunition strategy will build a 21st century organic industrial base capable of sustaining fielded systems, maintaining pace with Army modernization efforts, and able to…
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FORT BELVOIR, Va. (May 5, 2021)—And now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for—the announcement of the 2020 ALTies award winners. Army AL&T magazine, the award-winning publication of…
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BETA TESTING: Elizabeth Wilson, DASA (DE&C), addresses the students in the beta session of the instructor-led training portion of the Army security cooperation enterprise course. (Photo by Cathy…
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FOND FAMILIARITY: Soldiers assigned to 10th Mountain Division rehearse crew drills at Slagle training area, Fort Polk, Louisiana, in June before firing a M982A1 Excalibur precision munition from…
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USERS FRONT AND CENTER: Through Soldier-centered design, end users are front and center in the development process. Rather than testing a prototype after design has been completed, this approach emphasizes…
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By Michael Bold FORT BELVOIR, Va. (April 6, 2021)—The Spring 2021 issue of Army AL&T magazine focuses on “Shaping Army Acquisition,” examining the culture of acquisition in…
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ON THE LOOKOUT: “We’re looking for breakthrough innovations, and we’re trying to create category-leading companies,” said ARCH’s Ritter. (Getty Images/Avalon_Studio) USAMRDC’s new partnership works to find and…
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ON THE SCENE: President Joe Biden walks with Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III, left, Army Gen. Mark A. Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff,…
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THE PATH TO SUCCESS: Army civilians have many potential routes to professional achievement, and the IDP can help them choose the best path to reach their goals. (Graphic…
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A HAND UP: Living through a pandemic is a challenge for which few people were adequately prepared. It’s important to seek help when needed. (Photo by Staff Sgt.…
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The first thing to understand about the colors of money is that there are no colors and no actual money, and it only gets more complicated from there.…
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AN ARCTIC HIKE: U.S. Marines with Marine Rotational Force – Europe 20.2, Marine Forces Europe and Africa, observe the mountain ranges to identify the next destination during a…
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CHILLING EFFECT: A CH-47F Chinook assigned to 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) perches on a mountain in October in the German Alps. As the U.S. revamps its Arctic…
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GETTING SCHOOLED: Capt. Alex Pytlar works with cadets during the Hacking for Defense course in this 2019 photo. Hacking for Defense is a graduate level course currently taught…
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HERE TO HELP: A combat medic with the 135th Area Support Medical Company, Pfc. Nicole Atkinson, drives a Chemical Biological Protective Shelter M8E1 Light Medium Tactical Vehicle on…
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NEW COLD WAR?: If we’re entering a new cold war, it’s not the same as the post-World War II version. China would appear to be the main foe,…
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TRADE AGREEMENT: Airmen from the 436th Aerial Port Squadron at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, were on hand to load cargo bound for Ukraine on a DOD contracted…
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THE WHOLE KIT AND CABOODLE: The team was tasked to award contracts for things like KN95 respirators, face shields, nitrile gloves, shoe covers, and surgical caps, gowns and…
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CYBER DEFENSE: Representatives of civilian companies and military leaders attend Cyber Shield 19 at Camp Atterbury, Indiana, in April 2019. Cyber Shield is the premiere unclassified defensive cyberspace operations exercise…
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FLYING DRAGON: A U-2 Dragon Lady assigned to the 9th Reconnaissance Wing prepares to land at Beale Air Force Base, California, on Dec. 15, 2020. This flight marks…
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The Army Training Information System is using human-centered design to provide value to Soldiers. by Lt. Col. Jim A. Lee The acquisition community is…
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ON TOUR: Jason Fullen, center, project coordinator with Pine Bluff Arsenal’s textile production, gives a tour of sewing operations to Col. Gavin Gardner, JMC commander, during a visit in July.…
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AEOP builds the STEM citizenry of tomorrow, one student at a time by Jack Meyer After Noel Obi, 17, graduates from his Houston high school, he…
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FRESH AIR: Dr. Irene MacAllister enjoys some time outside the lab running in the Hradec Forest across from her apartment near the research center at the Czech Republic’s University of…
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PEACE OF MIND: Teleworking gave many of us peace of mind, knowing we could continue to work while minimizing possible exposure to the coronavirus. (Image by Getty Images) …
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BIG “A” ACQUISITION: The DOD 5000-series regulations spell out layers of bureaucracy and oversight for the Defense Acquisition Management System. (Courtesy of the author) by Robert F. Mortlock,…
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WHO IS THE CUSTOMER?: This simple answer—the warfighter—fails to recognize the program manager’s balancing of a program’s cost, schedule and performance, and fails to acknowledge the complex acquisition environment. …
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NEW NAVY SWABS: USAMRDC's Additive Manufacturing Working Group was stood up to streamline the process assisting all DOD additive manufacturers interested in organically producing personal protective equipment and…
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BRAND NEW: Soldiers with the 5th Security Force Assistance Brigade trained virtually on new equipment in April 2020 to ensure their readiness using multiband radios for current and…
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LOAD 'EM UP: Sgt. Cedric Melton, 63rd Expeditionary Signal Battalion (ESB), 35th Signal Brigade inspects the vehicles before they are loaded on a plane at Hunter Army Airfield,…
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THE COLLECTION: Maj. Juan Guzman, the chief of the Armed Services Blood Bank Center–Pacific Northwest, shows Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs Thomas McCaffery where the center…
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SUNRISE ON THE HORIZON: The first rays of an orbital sunrise illuminate the edge of the Earth's atmosphere in January 2020, creating a glowing arc as the ISS orbits 259…
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FORT BELVOIR, Va. (February 1, 2021)—For nearly a year now, the Army’s acquisition enterprise has forged ahead through unprecedented difficulties, delivering and enhancing capabilities in the face of…
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HOUSTON, DO YOU COPY?: Morgan, left, Springer, center, and Hood visited the Mission Control Center in Houston. By Jacqueline M. Hames “STEM is a full-contact sport,” said…
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There may never be a silver bullet for defeating COVID-19—instead, it may require defense in depth, including three possible weapons from USAMMDA. by Carey A.…
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MADE EASY TO USE: Spc. Nathaniel Coleman, a treatment non-commissioned officer with the 44th Medical Battalion, demonstrates MEDHUB system in a field hospital setting. The MEDHUB system was…
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THANKING THE TEAM: Secretary of the Army, Hon. Ryan D. McCarthy, visited defense contractor facilities and government offices at Redstone Arsenal, Alabama on July 1 to thank personnel…
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IN THE FEEDBACK LOOP: A rifle squad from 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division, visit Bell Flight’s Arlington, Texas, facility in October. The Soldiers provided crucial feedback on the…
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IN THE FIELD: Soldiers gained hands-on experience during field validation exercises with the Hamilton T1 ventilator at the 10th Field Hospital at Fort Carson, Colorado, in 2018. (Photo…
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READY FOR ITS CLOSEUP: A shipment of vials of remdesivir intended for clinical trial use. Gilead Sciences invested millions of dollars of independent research and development funding to…
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IN THE ROTATION: Under the redesigned LEAD program, the entire cohort of fellows will complete a concurrent six-month rotation at the Pentagon, working as Department of the Army…
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SUPPLY CHAIN IN MOTION: U.S. Navy Logistics Specialist 1st Class Emmeline Manaois moves medical supplies to be counted and distributed within Javits New York Medical Station, April 11, 2020, in…
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DECONTAMINATION COMPLETE: The 436th Airlift Wing and the 436th Maintenance Wing complete testing of the Joint Biological Agent Decontamination System (JBADS) Lite on an in-operation C-17. (U.S. Air Force by…
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Afghanistan to receive more than a million ventilator masks, gowns and gloves by Adriane Elliot Neither a global pandemic nor a pending troop withdrawal has halted U.S.…
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FEEDBACK IS KEY: A Soldier wears the IVAS and wields a Squad Immersive Virtual Trainer prototype at a touch-point event. If not for constant Soldier feedback from these events, the…
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HEAVENLY HOST: The cloud reduces hosting costs, improves continuity of operations and increases security. (Photo by GettyImages) U.S. Army Acquisition Support Center charts a course to cloud migration…
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KEEPING UP: Sgt. Maj. of the Army Michael A. Grinston, center, remotely drives a pre-prototype Robotic Combat Vehicle from inside a Mission Enabling Technologies Demonstrator at Fort Carson, Colorado, in…
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The COVID-19 pandemic forced U.S. Army Operational Test Command to innovate during a new system's operational test. by Maj. Graham L. Mullins The proverb “Necessity is…
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VITAL LINK: Researchers from the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Army Research Laboratory and Texas A&M University developed a first-of-its-kind, 3D printable and stimuli-responsive polymeric material expected to…
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GET ON THE AI TRAIN: Appropriate training environments and tools are essential to successfully integrating AI. The GCSS-Army virtual training environment could be a tailorable platform used to train Soldiers…
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LOCK AND KEY: All Army employees, military and civilian, are charged with protecting classified information. But problems can arise from trying to promote full and open competition while also protecting…
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AN OUNCE OF PREVENTION: A Crane Army Ammunition Activity employee labels containers of hand sanitizer. Crane Army collaborated with McAlester Army Ammunition Plant to develop a hand sanitizer…
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WHAT A GEM: The U.S. Army ground effects machines, or GEM, was a hovercraft powered by two aircraft engines driving ducted fans and was capable of traveling over land or…
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MOVE OUT: The author participated in Capability Set 23 planning discussions, which involved tailoring the ITN to Stryker and armored units. He saw results of the Network Cross-Functional Team’s…
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A NEW LOOK: Ruben Cruz, procurement analyst for the Army Artificial Intelligence Task Force, examines sensors in an autonomous robot built at Carnegie Mellon University in the 1980s.…
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DEVIL IN THE DETAILS: The proposal development process is a huge and sometimes expensive undertaking. Winning business can dictate whether the company can stay in that line of business. (Image…
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INTEGRATED NETWORK: The ITN provides smaller, lighter, faster and more flexible communications systems with multiple connectivity options primarily at battalion and below. Paratroopers with the 82nd Airborne Division provided the…
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AUSTERE CARE: NETCCN is meant to provide military medical care to the austere environments likely to be found during multidomain operations, like the ones these U.S. Marines found in August…
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The Army's xTechSearch program uncovers value and innovation. By Jess Stillman A panel of Army experts chose 48 concept white papers from the 351 submitted for…
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Innovation Combine finds better, cheaper and faster in more ways than one. By Kristin Mcnelis Finding novel technology solutions to the Army’s modernization challenges is just that—challenging.…
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The Army's xTechSearch program leverages its success to find the innovation the Army needs—and reveals good old American ingenuity. by Christopher J. Semancik The COVID-19 pandemic hit the…
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ON THE ROAD AGAIN: Sailors and civilians assigned to Naval Medical Center San Diego attend a Bureau of Medicine and Surgery roadshow that brought the Army's GFEBS rollout team to…
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FLIGHT TEST: The JAGM missile was tested at Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona, before the project moved into low-rate initial production. (Photos by U.S. Army) Missile-seeker components illustrate how the…
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BUILT FOR SURGE: Contractor employees at Iowa Army Ammunition Plant prepare 155 mm artillery rounds to be filled as a part of the load, assemble and pack operation. The plant…
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NOT YOUR MOTHER’S MICROWAVE: RCCTO will field a prototype Indirect Fire Protection Capability - High Power Microwave at the platoon level in fiscal year 2024. (Photos courtesy of RCCTO) …
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DOD and the Army can do more to help, innovative firms say. by Michael Bold Tapping the innovation of small high-tech businesses has been a goal of…
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LIVE COMMUNICATIONS: The Army needs advanced interoperable communications so that Soldiers can communicate in real time, helping to ensure mission success. (Photo courtesy of PacStar) Industry helps to keep…
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FORT BELVOIR, Va. (October 14, 2020)—The Army relies on the industrial base to produce things—like helicopters, tanks and satellites—that it just can’t buy at the local supermarket. The…
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MANUAL INSTRUCTION: Maj. Sarah Sanjakdar, center, learned the value of seeking feedback on the function and usefulness of two FDA-approved TBI screening devices at medical facilities across the U.S. Central…
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SETTING UP: Spc. Cheryll Eguilos, left, demonstrates how to set up a Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, in February 2018. Radio communication in Afghanistan…
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The Army's requirement calls for the highest energy-density fuel combined with the lowest mass and volume—and gasoline and diesel win over alternative energy. by Dr. David J.…
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QUICK DRAW: Sgt. Brett Knox with the Kendrick Memorial Blood Center, located outside Fort Gordon, Georgia, takes blood from Patrick Young, an employee at Winn Army Community Hospital, as a…
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THE DIVISION: The Kansas City District Contracting Division is pictured with then-Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Procurement Stuart Hazlett, outside of the Bolling Federal Building in downtown Kansas…
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REAL-WORLD TEST: During PNTAX, developers and Soldiers assessed how more than 80 mounted, dismounted and NAVWAR capabilities and systems operated within a replicated real-world, anti-access and area-denied environment. (Photo by…
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THE MODERN LOOK: Modern storage magazines, which are larger, drier and provide electrical service, would provide greater capability to properly store modern munitions. The organic industrial base needs…
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FIBER OPTICS: Advanced Functional Fabrics of America (AFFOA) research and development technician Chhea Chhav monitors a fiber draw on one of AFFOA’s five fiber draw towers. Draws need to be…
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SEEING THE SUPPLY CHAIN: Full visibility of the supply chain has been a high priority for the PM IVAS team, in collaboration with industry partners. The security and quality of…
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APPLYING TRAINING: The Department of Defense Security Cooperation Workforce Certification Program is based on nine security cooperation competencies and 58 job tasks. It has three elements: training, experience and continuous…
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READY, AIM, TRAIN!: The XM808 limited user assessment had many intangible benefits—information sharing provided engineers and instructors with experiences that may help improve their jobs. In a normal test environment,…
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TEAM TRAINING: Indian Army Soldiers together with members from Program Manager Towed Artillery Systems New Equipment Training team conduct maintenance training in India on M777A2 Lightweight Towed 155mm Howitzers following…
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ALL ABOUT THE DATA: Decisions throughout the acquisition process are informed by data collected from many sources. Often, test are designed to help us understand how changes in the inputs…
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ONWARD AND UPWARD: The SRPE is forward-looking, an assessment of the potential for civilian acquisition professionals to perform in positions of increased responsibility, based on their demonstrated leadership skills. In…
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THE KLEENEX PARADOX: Do you really need a Kleenex for your allergies, or can you survive with whatever tissue or handkerchief is handy? That’s what the government wants to know…
OVER THE RIVER: NATO Allied Rapid Reaction Corps officers visit British Royal Engineers in Germany as they prepare for river crossing drills in February. ERDC's Streamflow Prediction Tool provides 15-day…
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WRITE PATH: As insistent as it is on getting the details right when discussing a weapon system or program, DOD is less careful in observing differences in meaning and using…
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FROM THE DIRECTOR OF ACQUISITION CAREER MANAGEMENT CRAIG A. SPISAK For the Army Acquisition Workforce, training has continued in spite of the limitations brought on by COVID-19.…
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VIRTUAL LEARNING: Student-centered learning will help mitigate the challenges people have with distance learning. (Image by U.S. Army Acquisition Support Center) The challenges of virtual education are many…
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In a complex healthcare construction project, good joint-use planning can speed occupancy. by Lt. Col. Edwin H. Rodríguez The 1.13 million square-foot Fort Bliss Hospital Replacement Project…
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DECISION TIME: AI is just about everywhere. Search engines, social media, smartphone digital assistants and even local grocery stores are already using AI to improve their offerings. To make meaningful…
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MAJOR MOUNTED PLATFORM UPGRADE: The NBCRV SSU, pictured during a demonstration at Aberdeen Proving Ground South in 2019, uses unmanned systems teaming with a manned platform, leveraging land and air…
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AN AGILE SYSTEM: Chief Warrant Officer Gabriel Garcia and Spc. Edward Bolton during the third iteration of training for the Deployable Defensive Cyberspace Operations System – Modular at the Georgia…
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FROM PARACHUTES TO MASKS Parachute riggers with 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne), Group Support Battalion, sew surgical masks for medical patients at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., March 31, 2020. The…
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BRIEFING THE BOSS: Secretary of Defense Mark T. Esper speaks with biological safety officer David Harbourt during a tour of USAMRIID at Fort Detrick in March. (Photo by John W.…
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A UNIQUE TOOL: LCIAT homepage allowing registered users to access and use the tool’s assessment functions. This tool helps supportability project officers and project team members identify potential supportability and…
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DRAWING UP PLANS: Members of 80th MCT support multiple III Corps units at Port Arthur, Texas, in anticipation of the Defender-Europe 2020 deployment. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. First Class…
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EXAMINING THE GOODS: A Soldier from the 595th Sapper Company looks at the TSO dispenser launcher modules in the back of a M113 in support of a Soldier Touch Point…
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CONTAMINANT FREE ZONE: The NBCRV’s upgraded sensor suite package will use the Manned-unmanned teaming concept to allow detection of CBRN threats at a distance using unmanned air and ground vehicles,…
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CARRYING THE BATON: The Ripsaw M5 is a robotic combat vehicle (RCV) developed by Textron Systems and Howe & Howe Technologies Inc. This platform features an optionally tethered unmanned aerial…
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SUPPORTING THE SOLDIER, LITERALLY: For dismounted Soldiers in the field, one of the most common injuries is from carrying nearly 100 pounds of gear for extended periods, often over rough…
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PEO EIS is in uncharted territory, constructing a 360-degree view of the Army’s data landscape. by Ellen Summey “I don’t think there is one single leader we…
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BRIDGE TO NOWHERE: Bridge contracts are often used to prevent service disruption after a contract ends, when a new contract is not immediately awarded. They are intended to ‘bridge’ the…
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by Ellen Summey Acquisition is a notoriously complex beast. Enter Dennis Longo, the advocate for competition, task and delivery order ombudsman and senior procurement analyst for Army Contracting…
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MAZE OF DEFINITIONS: Knowing the definitions of terms in the FAR is essential. In April 2019, the GSA published a pre-solicitation notice requesting industry’s interest to provide warehouse space. Two…
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EVALUATION TIME: The second RCCTO innovation day event included leaders, technical experts and Soldiers from across Army organizations to serve on panels. They were grouped based on technology topic, to…
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by Ellen Summey FORT BELVOIR, Va. (July 06, 2020)—It’s the very nature of Army acquisition—always looking to the future. Despite being faced with an unexpected challenge in the COVID-19…
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THE VIRTUAL FUTURE: 1st Sgt. Michael Weaver, 1-31st Field Artillery Battalion, 434th Field Artillery Brigade, uses virtual reality to take an early look at components of the Army's new prototype…
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LIKE A CHEETAH: Mullins recruited prosthetic maker Van Phillips to help develop new prostheses for her sports career. He employed material engineers to invent the “cheetah leg,” woven carbon-fiber prostheses…
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by Michael Bold When I spoke with Aimee Mullins in April, California Gov. Gavin Newsom had just imposed a stay-at-home order on the state because of the…
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ENGAGING THE STAKEHOLDER: The 418th CSB was able to identify delays in the acquisition process that could trigger a bridging action by measuring what matters—early and integrated planning with requiring activity…
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FUSION FOR GOOD: The Army National Guard’s COVID-19 response efforts highlighted the need for a broader AI tool—something that could fuse data between two domains, reconciling semantic reasoning. (Image by Getty…
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READY FOR PATIENTS: Soldiers stage medical equipment and beds at the CenturyLink Event Center in Seattle, during the last week in March 2020, as part of the Army’s response…
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MASK UP: ASA(ALT)’s COVID-19 Task Force is studying the risks and challenges that COVID-19 presents to readiness and modernization. Here, a Soldier wears a face mask to drive an electric…
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EMERGING CAPABILITIES: In January, the PEO C3T, N-CFT and the CCDC C5ISR team concluded the initial phases of medium Earth orbit satellite testing with prototype ground satellite terminals, at the C5ISR…
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FROM THE DIRECTOR OFACQUISITION CAREER MANAGEMENTCRAIG A. SPISAK Modernizing the Army means modernizing acquisition. Craig A. Spisak Director, U.S. Army Acquisition Support Center and Director, Acquisition…
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COVID-19 RESPONSE: JPM CBRN Medical, in support of the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs, rapidly delivered a new COVID-19 diagnostic test under the FDA’s Emergency…
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Rajal Ganatra (center right) with Acquisition Pathway Director (right) Maj. David Rothzeid and other cohorts of the program: from left, Denzil Thomas, Jaylene Carteret and Steve Rapp (on screen). (Photo…
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XTECH IMMERSION: XTechSearch 3.0 finalists participate in an immersion day in Boston supported by FedTech and the xTechSearch program manager, Zeke Topolosky, far right back row. The xTechSearch competition and…
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by Mike Bold FORT BELVOIR, Va. (April 13, 2020)—The editors have voted, the readers have voted, and the results are in. Army AL&T magazine, the award-winning publication of…
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by Michael Bold FORT BELVOIR, Va. (April 09, 2020)—Talent management—getting the right person in the right place at the right time—is the theme of the Spring 2020 issue of…
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The Army DACM Office’s supervisor competency assessment results help justify targeted training. by Jacqueline M. Hames Knowing the capabilities of your workforce is key in managing employee talent—it allows…
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WELCOME TO PEO EIS - Smith, center, and Brendan Burke, center right, deputy PEO, hosted a full-day newcomers orientation on Sept. 15. Smith and her leadership team have taken steps…
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A prescription for how the Army leaders can demonstrate emotional intelligence and communicate change better during a time of creative destruction, based on the author's doctoral research and dissertation. …
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Seventh in a series of articles on how the Combat Capabilities Development Command is supporting the Army’s “six plus two” modernization priorities. by Maj. Gen. John A. George …
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As the new decade begins, we look back at predictions about what Army acquisition would look like in 2020. By Steve Stark We as a species are uniquely able…
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Facing extraordinary new technology demands, the Army’s premier software maintenance organization is retraining its workforce on the skills it needs, in house. by Jacob Kriss As any engineer…
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After high-publicity failures, defense acquisition experts laud the Army for focusing on products and priorities over process, but bureaucracy remains a threat. by Michael Bold and Margaret C. Roth The…
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Members of CMU’s NREC, set up equipment during the data collection event at Fort Hunter Liggett, Jan 13. The partnership between CMU and the AITF focuses on modernizing the Army…
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The Next Generation Load Device – Small program used an innovative, tailored acquisition approach to rapidly deliver capability to Soldiers of the U.S. Army Special Operations Command. by Wayne Rush…
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Understanding acquisition is hard. Depicting how it works is next to impossible. by Steve Stark In attempting to come up with a graphic representation of how acquisition works, Army AL&T…
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OCSE aligns IT standards for Army and joint all-domain command-and-control, and mission partner environments to ensure seamless interoperability of command-and-control systems across all echelons. by William G. Langston, Frederick J.…
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PEO C3T leverages rapid acquisition and prototyping to improve network management for new software-defined radios. by Maj. Nicholas Milano, Keith Whittaker, George Senger and Amy Walker The Army has been…
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FROM THE DIRECTOR OF ACQUISITION CAREER MANAGEMENT CRAIG A. SPISAK Craig A. SpisakDirector, U.S. Army Acquisition Support Center and Director, Acquisition Career Management DACM Office, CHRA join forces to stand…
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The SB>DEFIANT produced by Sikorsky-Boeing is one of two aircraft selected for further testing under the JMR-TD program. (Image courtesy of Boeing.) Supercomputing allows acceleration of the acquisition timeline. by…
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FROM THE ARMY ACQUISITION EXECUTIVE BRUCE D. JETTE By giving the Army acquisition team authority and the necessary training, we can better deliver overmatch capabilities to Soldiers. Having served…
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By Michael Bold FORT BELVOIR, Va. (Jan. 13, 2020) — Do you understand Army acquisition? It’s not an easy subject to master. But at its essence, it’s all about requirements.…
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Hacking for Defense alums Lumineye win xTechSearch By Jess Stillman It all started with the desire to create an innovative solution to a DOD problem. Lumineye Inc., the…
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From prize money to mentorship and collaboration, the xTechSearch competition is growing into something of an incubator for promising new defense and dual-use technologies. by Jess Stillman It began as…
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An interview with the Army acquisition executive. More than two years ago, Dr. Bruce D. Jette was confirmed by the U.S. Senate and sworn into office as the assistant secretary…
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The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers works in water and on land to lay the groundwork for multidomain operations in 2028. By Nicholas Boone This is the first in a…
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Transportability engineering is vital in an accelerated acquisition process. by Michael Bartosiak Efficient and rapid deployment of the Army is crucial to the National Defense Strategy. The DOD acquisition community…
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USASAC’s total package approach keeps FMS customers up and running. by Adriane Elliot There’s no doubt that foreign military sales (FMS) are a critical component of U.S. foreign policy. From…
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The Training With Industry Program is an excellent opportunity for officers. Here’s what you need to know before you apply.
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Army Test and Evaluation Command and Maneuver Center of Excellence experts identify five missteps in requirements development that can slow or halt a program in testing. by Joshua R. Barker…
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The Training With Industry program expands and enhances officers’ knowledge of industry practices. by Jacqueline M. Hames Military and corporate business best practices are fundamentally different, and the barrier to…
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New OTA seeks to speed capabilities to warfighters while also developing the U.S. industrial base. by Kyle Thalmann and Tara Sarruda Using the relatively new Cornerstone Other-Transaction Authority (OTA) provided…
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IDENTIFYING THE NEXT TARGET: A Soldier navigates through the augmented reality lab at the Center for Applied Brain and Cognitive Sciences, a cooperative research initiative between Tufts University School…
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The contracting pendulum has swung from complex to streamlined contracts to provide efficient and rapid acquisition in support of the Soldier. by Veronica Alexander and Dr. Linda R. Herbert Contracting…
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DASA(P) joins forces with GSA to get federal agencies to share solutions to similar strategic acquisition challenges. by Elizabeth Chirico and John Burchill Over the past year, within both government…
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The Rapid Innovation Fund enables the military and nontraditional contractors to work together. by Kathryn Bailey As DOD seeks to spur development of new technology, its Rapid Innovation Fund provides…
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Stop chasing personality-driven solutions: Category management instills a think-bigger approach to buying for enterprise-level efficiencies. by Brig. Gen. Christine A. Beeler Leveraging the disciplined buying power of the Army enterprise…
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Army Modernization Strategies inform equipping of new position, navigation and timing system. by John Higgins and Caitlin O’Neill Fortification is key for the military. Fortification ensures not only mission success,…
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The first cohort of Army Acquisition Degree Curriculum 522 is ready to graduate with a Master of Science degree in systems engineering management from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey,…
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The Army’s International Technology Centers seek the most innovative solutions possible through foreign partnerships. by Lt. Col. Marc Meeker When the U.S. Army Futures Command (AFC) was created in early…
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USAMRDC's technology landscape mapping workshops seek to find the right medicines and devices with input from an integrated stakeholder team. by Ramin A. Khalili If anybody knows how it all…
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Software-defined networking could get Army’s data moving faster by John Shotwell and Amy Walker As part of its tactical network modernization strategy, the Army has begun development, integration and Soldier-driven…
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Market research can be the basis for vigorous competition in Army acquisition. by Dennis P. Longo This is the first in a new series, On Contracting. The author developed the…
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To look back 50 years at Army aviation is, in some ways, to look ahead a decade. by Margaret C. Roth Back in 1969, in the thick of the Vietnam…
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Effective, innovative and agile medical product development fast-tracks MEDHUB device to warfighters. by Jay Wang Progress and change always go hand-in-hand. This is especially true for the latest changes affecting…
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FROM THE DIRECTOR OF ACQUISITION CAREER MANAGEMENT CRAIG A. SPISAK Supporting the future force by building a more technically savvy Army Acquisition Corps. You can only get out of a…
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Acquisition professional education could be more like the rigorous, hands-on rotations at the Army’s combat training centers. Here’s how. by Dr. Charles K. Pickar Tiger Woods made a comeback…
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A more agile acquisition strategy got users excited about a joint system to report and map chemical, biological and radiological attacks, and prompted one service to change its mind about…
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The third in a series, ASA(ALT) at Work, which looks into ASA(ALT) organizations, what they do and where they do it. PEO Soldier’s mission is to rapidly deliver agile, adaptive,…
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U.S. Army, Marine Corps and Australia team up to improve range and accuracy of the M777A2 howitzer.
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FROM THE ARMY ACQUISITION EXECUTIVE DR. BRUCE D. JETTE The future force modernization enterprise has a vision to streamline acquisition, and a way to get there. Getting the right equipment…
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Fort Belvoir, Va. (October 1, 2019)— Support of the future force involves countless people Soldiers are likely ever to meet: contracting specialists, researchers, procurement officers, lab techs, project managers, civilian…
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OTAs are charting a new path to make sure warfighters in the future fight get innovative care. by Ramin A. Khalili Just a few hours after a trio of late-night…
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Cyber Center of Excellence program aims to expand partnerships and close capability gaps through experimentation.
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Army, Marines, U.K. collaborate to develop lightweight ammunition to reduce Soldiers’ load.
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Software acquisition doesn't really fit with the Federal Acquisition Regulation. What is it—a product or a service? by Dante E. Milledge The world of software acquisition, which I work in,…
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Adaptive squad architecture will assist in identifying, defining and maintaining interfaces, which will enable the squad to be managed as an integrated platform.
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The Forge is an open door for industry to collaborate with the Army on cybersecurity operations, fostering innovation and speeding solution delivery. by Ellen Summey It’s a lesson most of…
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The Army needs to embrace advanced manufacturing at the beginning of new system development to surpass potential foes. by Dr. Alexis Lasselle Ross In the future, advanced manufacturing techniques like…
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By Jacqueline M. Hames In the future, what we call advanced manufacturing today will just be manufacturing. That doesn't mean it will be obsolete, just that it will get more…
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The Army's xTechSearch competition creates an innovation pipeline to the small business ecosystem to enable next-generation technologies from nontraditional suppliers. by Dr. Matt Willis “The Army needs that private-sector…
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The winner of the first xTechSearch works to scale itself and its product. by Zeke Topolosky and Dr. Matt Willis Adranos Inc. is a Purdue University-affiliated company that won the…
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Middle-tier acquisition authority features flexible prototype and fielding options. by Douglas Burbey, Mindy Gabbert and Kathryn Bailey The Army is employing one more option for programs of record to…
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Fifth in a series of articles on how the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command is supporting the Army’s six modernization priorities. By Maj. Gen. Cedric T. Wins A fleet…
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China controls roughly 90 percent of the rare-earth materials used in high-tech manufacturing, but the United States, Australia and Japan are exploring new sources that could end the Chinese monopoly.…
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Laser weapons, high-powered microwave weapons and hypersonic weapons are on the horizon for the Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office. The office takes the products out of the lab, transitioning…
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Security Assistance Command explores how to expedite the process of getting rid of the Army’s old equipment. by Marcus Mackey The U.S. Army Security Assistance Command (USASAC) is demonstrating a…
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Soldiers of the 3rd BCT and Vanderbilt University develop a new business model without any explicit direction or permission from highest levels of leadership. by 1st Lt. Austin Herrling GPS,…
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Internship program gives participants a look at SOCOM’s approach to acquisition. by Maj. Jonathan Harmeling “Very few people will ever be able to say they have been here,” the U.S.…
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Picatinny Arsenal is new home for Defense Acquisition University program. By Audra Calloway Until now, acquisition professionals at Picatinny Arsenal had to travel significant distances to attend Senior Service College,…
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Three events are critical in developing the concept of operations for terrain shaping obstacles. by Lt. Col. Phillip Poteet New capabilities are seldom new. Most have the benefit of past…
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Fourth in a series of articles on how the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command is supporting the Army’s six modernization priorities. by Maj. Gen. Cedric T. Wins A small…
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Phased rollout of IPPS-A starts with U.S. Army Reserve. by Steve Stark Beginning in the third quarter of fiscal 2019, perhaps as early as August, the Acquisition Career Record Brief…
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Automatic identification technology improves speed and accuracy of logging ammunition supplies, but Soldiers in forward theaters can’t use it. by Chief Warrant Officer 3 Michael Lima One of the advancing…
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The second in a series, ASA(ALT) at Work, which looks into ASA(ALT) organizations, what they do and where they do it. Led by Chérie A. Smith and headquartered at Fort…
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Small drones are increasingly a threat to Soldiers. A new cyber-enabled system provides a key countermeasure. by Nancy Jones-Bonbrest In the desert of the National Training Center, Soldiers got an…
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C-DAEM program maximizes industry innovation to expedite capability to the warfighter. by Lt. Col. Thomas D. Jagielski and James A. Sarruda Evolving threats, complex requirements and a wary industrial base…
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We have to know what we know, not what we think we know. Craig A. Spisak Director, Acquisition Career Management Above the door to my office is this expression: “IN…
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To build a network that will last, the Army is planning how to maintain and repair its many components while they’re still being developed. by Maj. Gen. Randy S. Taylor…
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How the Army fielded its next-generation human resources system to the Pennsylvania Army National Guard. by Col. Greg Johnson “No plan survives contact with the enemy.” This piece of battlefield…
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Don’t be fooled by powerful computers and fancy algorithms. You still must know what matters and how to measure it correctly. by Daniel E. Stimpson, Ph.D. Have you ever wondered…
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The Army Leader Dashboard is tackling the Army’s data problem, bridging the gap between assumptions and insights for strategic resource decisions. by Ellen Summey The Army has a data problem.…
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By Michael Bold FORT BELVOIR, Va. (June 25, 2019)—A modern army marches not on its stomach but on its data, Dr. Bruce D. Jette, the Army acquisition executive, writes in…
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To reach its goal of an acquisition “renaissance,” the Army must create an architecture for modernization that provides a blueprint for how all of the pieces fit and work together.…
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USASAC working group develops initiatives to make sure foreign military sales don’t affect U.S. Army readiness. by Debra Valine When Gen. Gustave F. Perna, commanding general of U.S. Army…
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Naval Postgraduate School lecturer takes case studies on the road to offer the acquisition workforce a rare immersive opportunity. By Michael Bold Defense acquisition is a complex, painstaking and constantly…
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A departing network PM discusses challenges and must-haves as the Army moves toward its one network vision. by Amy Walker Col. Greg Coile has been serving as the project manager…
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Training and fielding network modernization requires a fully unified effort to ensure force readiness with the least possible disruption. by Brent Smith, Lawrence Holgate and Amy Walker To retain technological…
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For the Army to successfully develop artificial intelligence, it needs to collect the right data before investing. By Lt. Col. Jenny Stacy Ongoing advances in artificial intelligence (AI) “will change…
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FROM THE ARMY ACQUISITION EXECUTIVE Dr. Bruce D. Jette THE ZEN OF DATA Managing data holistically from the foxhole to the Pentagon enables better decision-making. The old saying is that…
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How a demonstration of translating targeting data between the Army and the Air Force confirmed a prototype for long-range precision fires in multidomain operations. by Maj. Isaac Lewellen, Chief Warrant…
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AI on the battlefield will come. That's guaranteed. Before AI automates 'slaughterbots,' we need to think through the moral and ethical implications of such powerful technology in warfare. What does…
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From Sun Tzu to machine learning, having good data is more than half the battle. The Army’s acquisition data domain promises to prove that once again. by Maj. Mario Iglesias…
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Intelligence collection isn’t just for battle planning. It also has demonstrated its value in contracting with information on vendors, insider threats, and fraud, waste and abuse. by Russell Parman During…
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by Army AL&T and DASA PPR Staff Q: What are the key characteristics of a sound justification document? A: A sound justification document clearly explains the source of the requirement,…
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Budgeting for Army acquisition programs is both art and science, in which clarity and consistency set the tone for success. by Margaret C. Roth and Mary Kate Aylward If every…
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A new rapid prototyping program supercharges Army capabilities. by Vanessa Pittman and Brandon Little-Darku In late 2016, the secretary of the Army approved the first project for the newly formed…
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FROM THE DIRECTOR OF ACQUISITION CAREER MANAGEMENT CRAIG A. SPISAK Lining Up Your Goals Syncing up DAWDF funding and Human Capital Strategic Plan objectives will lead to an…
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PEO C3T is all about how Soldiers communicate—the satellite terminals that send internet and phone signals to the command post, radios, the network that Soldiers connect to in the field,…
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FROM THE ARMY ACQUISITION EXECUTIVE BRUCE D. JETTE Building the army acquisition team Materiel isn’t the only thing in need of modernizing. The acquisition enterprise is taking a…
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When supplying partner nations through FMS, the best possible equipment may not always be the best possible solution. by Benjamin Posil Providing the best (i.e., most capable) equipment is not…
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By Michael Bold FORT BELVOIR, Va. (April 24, 2019)—“Building the Acquisition Team”—creating the best possible workforce to supply our warfighters with the best possible capabilities—is the theme of the Spring…
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DOD is fusing new authorities to upend a moribund acquisition status quo. by Col. Joel D. Babbitt and Dr. Donald Schlomer The case for change in peacetime has rarely been…
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Rapid acquisition of electronic warfare capabilities served an urgent need, and in the process set an award-winning example of phased prototyping, experimentation and fielding with creative resourcing. by Nancy Jones-Bonbrest,…
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The CAS2Net 2.0 upgrade took 20 years, but it got a brain transplant for its 20th anniversary. by Steve Stark The AcqDemo Program Office's rollout of CAS2Net 2.0 may not…
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A collaborative approach to systems biology may hold the key to breakthroughs from pain management and treatment of chronic eye injury to precision medicine—and wise use of funding. by Dr.…
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Step inside the least understood of the warfighting domains, cyber, where digital detectives analyze data to solve crime, and similar tools and techniques are used to defend against cyberattacks. by…
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THEN & NOW 1981 and 2018 Next generation on track Bradley replacement promises to take a technological leap into the future fight. By Margaret C. Roth and Jacqueline…
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Information is just a click away on DAU website with acquisition digital prototypes and Other Transactions Guide. by Michael Bold You’re a program or project manager facing myriad choices when…
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FORT BELVOIR, Va. (March 25, 2019)—Army AL&T, the award-winning magazine of the assistant secretary of the Army for acquisition, logistics and technology, announced today the winners of its annual “ALTies,”…
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The Army needs vehicles to be robotic ready for the future force. by Bryan J. McVeigh and Mark Mazzara Robotic mules that follow Soldiers to carry and charge their gear.…
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Flexibility in contracting and scheduling delivers capability to warfighter in the optimal time―not necessarily the shortest time. by Robert F. Mortlock, Ph.D., Col., USA (Ret.) “Schedule-driven programs usually fail,” a…
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It's only been since the early 1990s that CPR training has been available to the general public, and this simple training has saved countless lives. MRMC’s ‘Stop the Bleed’ campaign…
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As a DOD employee, you’re eligible for TSA Precheck—have you opted in? Jacqueline M. Hames From having to book the cheapest flight to departing at odd hours and enduring multiple,…
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Acquisition Soldiers field forward-deployed SFAB tactical network modernization on the fly. by Amy Walker The Army is pushing full steam ahead with network modernization efforts that are making today’s forces…
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Third in a series of articles on how Combat Capabilities Development Command, formerly the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command and now part of Army Futures Command, is supporting…
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Change happens because people find that the changes work for them. In its quest for modernization, the Army can learn a great deal from one of the world's leading authorities…
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Robots should rescue Soldiers, not the other way around. So the U.S. Army Research Laboratory is developing software to help robots pick themselves up after a fall. by Jacqueline M.…
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Then And Now 1993 & 2019 Training For The Future Force 2025 and beyond will need a new training system to thrive in ambiguity and chaos—the synthetic training environment. The…
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The Rakkasans and a university are innovating 3D printing to direct traffic at the tactical level. by First Sgt. Robert Clark and Capt. Aimee Valles Innovation is about finding new…
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Additive manufacturing is all the rage, but why? by Steve Stark Additive manufacturing, or 3D printing, gets people—and the Army is no exception—very excited because of its apparent potential to…
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Sidebar to Complex Geometry By Steve Stark Additive manufacturing demands a whole new way of thinking, and we're not even close to what's possible in this exciting technology. One of…
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Additive manufacturing holds great potential, but much work remains to be done for the Army to get to additive nirvana. by Steve Stark Additive manufacturing shines with promise. The discipline,…
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FROM THE ARMY ACQUISITION EXECUTIVE BRUCE D. JETTE Army’s new policy seeks cost-effective solutions in managing IP that balance the interests of government, industry and the warfighter “We must be…
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Reimagining the Army’s logistics enterprise resource planning systems. by Jim Kinkade and Jay Chung If the Army could start over today, it would not choose to design the enterprise resource…
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Advances in commercial wireless enable Army mobile tactical internet. by Charlie Kawasaki Our adversaries possess increasingly sophisticated communications and information technology (IT), allowing them to leverage advanced wireless technology and…
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The Army teams NVESD with General Micro Systems to put multifunction video display at all crew stations inside the MRAP mine-clearing vehicle. by Chris A. Ciufo Keeping U.S. warfighters prepared…
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Bell’s experience with the Joint Multi-Role Technology Demonstrator shows the effectiveness of government-industry collaboration to deliver advanced technologies to the warfighter—and points out ways that such partnerships could be even…
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Military catastrophes teach IDEAL students about strategic planning and leadership. by Debra Valine Desert One, the 1980 attempt to rescue 52 American hostages in Iran, failed. America’s Delta Force, formed…
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Thanks to everyone who took the time to complete Army AL&T’s reader survey. Here’s what we learned. By Army AL&T staff Ever wonder about the origin of the Army phrase…
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As complex as its operations and motivations are, knowing how the commercial sector works is fundamental to being a skilled acquisition professional. By Craig A. Spisak, Director of Acquisition Career…
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By Michael Bold FORT BELVOIR, Va. (Jan. 3, 2018)—Understanding how industry works—its motivations and its challenges—is key to Army acquisition professionals developing the skills and competencies needed to do their…
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Career Navigator DAU's handy-dandy subway map helps make it easier to understand contracting and find the right tool. By Jacqueline M. Hames It's easy to get lost in the byzantine…
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PEO EIS uses Agile teaming to build the Army’s Integrated Personnel and Pay System. by Col. Gregory S. Johnson Today, the Army faces a complex dilemma: how to deliver warfighting…
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Consortia partnerships developing treatments, especially for patients with TBI or PTSD. by Erin Bolling It has been eight years since Congress first funded an Army-led research program to address substance…
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How MRMC leverages expertise and relationship-building with industry. by Elizabeth Lamie The U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command (MRMC) aims to lead the advancement of military medicine and responsibly…
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USAMMDA works with military, federal civilian and contract professionals to develop and deliver quality medical products. by Jeffrey M. Soares Since its establishment more than 30 years ago, the U.S.…
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Cyber defense and partner nation interoperability are vital to meeting national security objectives at home and abroad. by Andy Strand In “Sneakers,” a 1992 comedic caper about the ethical and…
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Second in a series of articles about RDECOM’s support for the Army’s six modernization priorities. by Maj. Gen. Cedric T. Wins Soldiers in the field need the right equipment to…
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Expeditionary Technology Search narrows Army-funded competition from over 350 proposals to 12 contenders for $200,000 award. by Dr. Matt Willis and Jennifer Smith When Dr. Bruce Jette, assistant secretary of…
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Whether it’s his fiction and nonfiction, his work as a TRADOC ‘mad scientist,’ the interviews he’s done with defense media, the pages of Popular Science, or some other venue, P.W.…
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An unusually frank and open forum among government and industry competitors yielded new insights into developing a Gator Landmine Replacement command-and-control system. by Waliul Mizan and Sean Stevens Traditional land…
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PEO CS&CSS’s Robot Logistics Support Center uses IDIQs and a unique sustainment approach to keep robot systems up and running. by Thomas A. Lettis and Adam Bennett Conventional Army contracting…
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How a Platypus, a small team of independent Australian scientists and a THUNDERINGPANDA answered the Army’s challenge for faster signal detection. by Nancy Jones-Bonbrest The Army Rapid Capabilities Office (RCO)…
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Been There, Done That Modeling and simulation is a PM’s friend. by John T. Dillard, Col., USA (Ret.) One thing I always felt pretty confident about during my acquisition career…
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That’s it—just five minutes. Click on over to https://www.cvent.com/d/wbqs2z and complete the Army AL&T magazine reader survey. “Our reader survey is the ultimate quality check,” said Steve Stark, senior editor…
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THEN & NOW 1970, 2018 Burns are among the nastiest wounds a person can experience, and the Army’s Burn Center has been working for more than 70 years to develop…
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Coordinated contractor testing can help accelerate the acquisition process and improve the quality of equipment and programs. by Mr. Harry H. Jenkins III Test and evaluation (T&E) is a perennial…
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Willingness to be mobile is key to career development in the acquisition workforce. by Ms. Jacqueline M. Hames In Army acquisition, moving up might mean moving out—out of your comfort…
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A vigorous talent management strategy keeps the acquisition workforce prepared to tackle future threats. By Mr. Craig A. Spisak, Director, Acquisition Career Management Predicting the future: It’s one of Army…
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Army targets nontraditional partners with competition for next-generation, game-changing technological advances By Dr. Bruce D. Jette, Army Acquisition Executive “Innovation is the result of critical and creative thinking and the…
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By Michael Bold FORT BELVOIR, Va. (Sept. 27, 2018)—Innovation has improved the lives of our Soldiers and contributed immeasurably to their success on the battlefield, says Dr. Bruce D. Jette,…
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That sound you hear is the tick-tock of a super-accurate quantum clock, counting down the time until quantum information science enables a leap forward in cybersecurity, navigation, code breaking and…
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First in a series of articles on how RDECOM is supporting the Army’s six modernization priorities. by Maj. Gen. Cedric T. Wins To prepare for the battlefield of the future,…
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by Mr. Steve Stark Dr. Elizabeth Mezzacappa could seriously hurt you. But if she did hurt you, it would be nonlethal and totally ethical (to understand why, you have to…
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Dr. Philip Perconti leads the Army's "corporate lab" with the intimate involvement of warfighters, businesses, academia and other labs in a high-stakes, high-risk, no-time-to-waste environment focused on finding and developing…
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The Army Research Laboratory’s new nanomaterial paves the way for efficient and green energy solutions. by Ms. Jacqueline M. Hames Like many great scientific advancements, the U.S. Army Research Laboratory’s…
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Tunisia’s navy is the embodiment of a true FMS partner for the U.S. by Mr. Benjamin Posil “Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success.”…
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By Ms. Terri Stover, USASAC Public Affairs Morocco strengthens its capacity to stabilize region and fight terrorism through partnership with U.S. The Kingdom of Morocco is currently the largest U.S.…
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Understanding the whole of Army acquisition is exceedingly difficult, and that's why ARDEC—to change its culture, improve decision-making and unleash its own agility—created an innovative combination of war gaming and…
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For better contracts and better support to the warfighter, integrate operational contract support personnel into the same education system that trains the operational personnel. by Maj. Kasandra B. Tharp Imagine…
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Sidebar to Game Changer As an educational tool, the war game shows how to use business architecture by enabling people to actually experience it. Customization and personalized game play were…
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USAMMDA develops a reputation for growing acquisition workforce leaders. by Mr. Jeffrey M. Soares The U.S. Army Medical Materiel Development Activity (USAMMDA) at Fort Detrick, Maryland, is helping to prepare…
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The new director of the Army Rapid Capabilities Office discusses her vision for delivering major capabilities fast and helping to shape Army modernization. by Ms. Nancy Jones-Bonbrest Doubling the range…
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The 25th Transportation Company moved from an “every X months” preventive maintenance schedule to servicing vehicles as needed as part of an AMSAA study. Soldiers strengthened their ability to troubleshoot…
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Ground Combat Systems’ Common Infrastructure Architecture integrates multiple systems and eliminates redundancies in fighting vehicles by using open architecture. Soldiers have an easier-to-use interface that the Army can reuse across…
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What are hypersonic weapons, why does the Army want them, and are they as revolutionary as they sound? by Ms. Mary Kate Aylward 1998: U.S. intelligence locates Osama bin Laden…
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In the complex, digitally connected battlespace of the future, situational awareness will be the difference between victory and defeat. By optimizing current capabilities, developing new sensors and harnessing the power…
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By Dr. Bruce D. Jette, Army Acquisition Executive The Army is joining forces with industry to achieve land power dominance through science and technology. The future Army must be ready…
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Army materiel developers could learn a lot from the perspicacity and grit of one old man. The adage has it that the doctor who treats himself has a fool for…
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Experiments to test incremental solutions that will give joint forces more warning of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear weapons on an accelerated timeline. by Mr. Richard Newton In an unpredictable…
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by Dr. Gordon Cooke Science fiction becomes science fact. To build and buy the right things for the future, the Army's developers and planners need to be able to envision…
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ARDEC test beds are laying the foundation for the future of the Soldier, one behavioral experiment at a time. by Dr. Elizabeth Mezzacappa The use of increasingly sophisticated tools over…
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Advances in night vision technology give Soldiers capabilities considered impossible some 50 years ago. By Ms. Mary Kate Aylward “On the battlefield of the future, if you’re standing still, you’re…
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For the Army Rapid Capabilities Office, fast solutions are the new black. As its former director heads for retirement, he looks back on the office’s success and promise as a…
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By Dr. Bruce D. Jette, Army Acquisition Executive Army acquisition has an opportunity to make its voices heard at this critical juncture. A recruiting commercial for the U.S. Army encourages…
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Need a capability? The 3rd Brigade Combat Team of the 101st Airborne takes a DIY, every-Soldier-an-innovator approach. by Maj. Tyrone Streifel and Mr. Michael Bold The 101st Airborne Division (Air…
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This column is the second in a series of articles profiling the work of defense science and technology personnel participating in the Engineer and Scientist Exchange Program, managed by the…
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Small business is huge for the Army, but while ‘small business’ was set to become a separate career field, it will now be a career path. by Ms. Jacqueline M.…
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JPEO-CBRND portfolio and systems analysis framework informs future CBRN investment decisions. by Ms. Gail Cayce-Adams and Mr. Michael Kierzewski It is simply impossible to maintain the old paradigm of developing…
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Mastering acquisition The DACM Office and the Naval Postgraduate School realign degree programs to boost technical education of civilians and officers. Earlier this year, I was in beautiful Monterey, California,…
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RCO joins SOCOM in early assessments of new or emerging technology from defense industry, tech startups and academia. by Ms. Nancy Jones-Bonbrest On a rainy afternoon in March, technology developers…
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Long range, short term PEO Ammunition, ARDEC and the Army Rapid Capabilities Office come together at Picatinny Arsenal with near-term plans for improving long-range precision fires. by Capt. Steve Draheim…
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Culture as an offset Innovation in the Army needs to come from the top down and the ground up, and Soldiers at all levels need freedom, time and equipment to…
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Game. Mission set. Overmatch. War game introduces early synthetic prototyping, which enables the Army to explore thousands more ideas than what is possible today before acquiring new capabilities. by Dr.…
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Delivering now PEO IEW&S contract planning tool literally shows the way to successful execution of myriad actions at once. by Mr. John Higgins “Deliver now” has become an unofficial motto…
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by Abel Trevino Defense Acquisition University (DAU) regularly develops case studies for educational purposes to emphasize acquisition in action. In DAU’s case-study-based curriculum, students spend weeks reviewing case studies that…
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From quick wins to deep change by Ms. Claire Heininger For program managers, logisticians, financial experts and most others across the Army acquisition community, reform is a luxury—something they can…
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Leaders of new cross-functional team, PEO C3T discuss how they’re working to shape a future vision of the Army’s network. by Ms. Bridget Lynch The Army is committed to delivering…
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PM Perspective Col. Michael J. Thurston Want faster acquisition? Reforming the process isn’t the answer, says a seasoned PM, who recommends instead a greater emphasis and more education on tailoring…
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Starting with an ending by Col. J. Ward Roberts On April 22, the Army kicked off a major joint operational exercise for future force development. Six separate three-star headquarters and…
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RDECOM utilizes Pacific Pathways deployments to conduct operational tests on three new technologies. by Ms. Argie Sarantinos-Perrin While the Army began Pacific Pathways in 2014 to build and sustain readiness…
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By understanding what the SOCOM acquisition model is, and what it isn’t, the Army can leverage its strengths appropriately for more efficient and effective modernization. by Col. Joe Capobianco and…
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John T. Dillard, Col., USA (Ret.) In the famous Boeing 777 development program of the 1990s, United Airlines was contractually permitted to penalize Boeing at $500 per pound, per airplane,…
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Been there, done that: The weight thing Those ugly extra pounds—or even grams—can derail your program or product. by John T. Dillard, Col., USA (Ret.) I can honestly say that…
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How to speed acquisition timelines through the power of innovative thinking. by Lt. Col. Mark P. Henderson Through innovative thinking and process improvement, the Army Acquisition Corps successfully transformed airborne…
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FROM THE ARMY ACQUISITION EXECUTIVE BRUCE D. JETTE As the Army focuses on modernizing without delay in its six priority areas, the acquisition culture must change by embracing certain key…
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By Mary Kate Aylward Fort Belvoir, Va. (April 17, 2018)—Modernization is the talk of the Army. The latest issue of Army AL&T magazine will catch you up on the details…
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The Manned Mounted Platform Radiological Detection System represents an alternative acquisition approach with uncommon collaboration across stakeholders, early and often. by Mr. Valentin Novikov and Lt. Col. Kelley Litzner Army…
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Can the Army transition to an IP-based voice architecture? Lessons learned when Fort Leonard Wood went to an all-IP phone system will help. by Mr. Alberto Dominguez, Mr. Willie Matthews…
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Then & Now 1991 & 2018 Ms. Mary Kate Aylward With ATACMS having been surpassed by Russia and China, the U.S. doesn’t just want to catch up, it wants to…
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Ms. Margaret C. Roth Development of the futures command and cross-functional teams is taking place against the backdrop of a sweeping, independent, congressionally mandated review of how to speed up…
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The Army is at ‘an inflection point,’ and modernizing is job No. 1 and priority No. 1. But modernization will take every ounce of leaders' will and a massive culture…
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Peter Newell, former chief of the U.S. Army’s Rapid Equipping Force, thinks DOD and intelligence agencies execute their missions but won’t do innovation well until innovation has a separate but…
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Reserve Component Automation Systems’ Agile Solution Factory derives maximum benefit from software development methodology to modernize effectively, fast and securely. by Mr. Stephen P. O’Brian and Ms. Angela D. Green-Mack…
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DOD could save billions, fast, and get commercial products to commanders, fast, if it switched to an e-commerce platform—an 'Armyzon' where businesses large and small could compete for government contracts.…
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Army medicine stands up Medical Devices Modernization Directorate. by Mr. Doug Wright The Army’s modernization strategy has one focus: Make Soldiers and units more lethal to win our nation’s wars…
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USAMRMC’s Combat Casualty Care Research Program pursues evolving medicine for an evolving battlefield. by Col. Michael R. Davis, Lt. Col. David S. Johnston and Mr. Ramin A. Khalili It wasn’t…
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Congressionally directed medical research in areas such as cancer, neurological disorders, traumatic injuries and rehabilitative medicine traces its roots to breast cancer advocacy work launched more than a quarter-century ago.…
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I3MP gleans proven practices and lessons learned the hard way from the Army’s first modernization of home station mission command centers. by Maj. Aleyzer Mora and Dr. Linda O. Jones…
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Even cutting-edge and high-tech systems are about people. Gathering Soldier feedback, implementing it quickly and then showing test units the improved product helped PEO C3T get a new expeditionary radio…
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Ms. Nancy Jones-Bonbrest Taking an idea from paper to operational assessment can be a lengthy and costly endeavor. Now, the Army Rapid Capabilities Office (RCO) is offering a middle ground…
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Emerging technologies cell in Rapid Capabilities Office accelerates disruptive innovation while providing a reality check. by Ms. Nancy Jones-Bonbrest An ombudsman is a representative, an advocate who aims for balance—between…
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As CERDEC explores and tests technologies to modernize the command post, the focus is on keeping the commander close to the battle, and the warfighting information close to the commander.…
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By Michael Bold FORT BELVOIR, Va. (March 16, 2018)—Award-winning Army AL&T magazine announced today the winners of its annual “ALTies” honors, celebrating the best article, commentary, graphic, ad and photograph…
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How a relatively little-known cost estimating tool can help prevent and correct contract overruns when other methods have fallen short. by Mr. Anthony J. Nicolella When a contractor regularly overruns…
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New DOD cell focuses on protecting unclassified data. But if data is unclassified, why do we need to protect it? by Mr. Andrew Fulton, Mr. Keith Ramsey and Mr. Thomas…
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How RDECOM is responding to the new modernization imperative. by Maj. Gen. Cedric T. Wins Central to the Army’s future is the decision by Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark…
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Award-winning ManTech program to create a new kind of blast-resistant aluminum vehicle hull resulted from a variety of new and existing R&D. by Dr. Bryan Cheeseman During the autumns of…
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ARL implements a new business model to pursue collaboration with academia and industry in a 21st century research culture. by Ms. Wendy Leonard The U.S. Army of 2040 and beyond…
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Modernization priorities spur the Army to take a more strategic approach to international engagement with S&T partners. by Dr. Arthur J. Goff III The future operational environment demands that the…
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Army unifies diverse efforts to bridge the gap between concept and acquisition for successful technology transitions. by Ms. Julie I. Locker Technology transition is the process by which a technology…
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Bringing industry, academia, other government agencies, and international and nontraditional partners into the Army S&T enterprise. by Dr. Matt Willis The Army science and technology (S&T) program is critical to…
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By Mr. Stephen F. Conley and Dr. Craig M. Arndt Since the start of the Global War on Terrorism, the acquisition community has been focused on providing Quick Reaction Capabilities…
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By Mr. Troy Carter In 2005, Russ Hubbard went through boot camp like everyone in the Army, and he saw fresh-faced recruits overheat even while they chugged canteens of water…
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By Capt. Christopher W. Piercy Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed or implied in this essay are those of the author and should not be construed as carrying the official…
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TechLink public-private intermediary helps small businesses access Army inventions, benefiting the U.S. military and the national economy. by Mr. Thomas Mulkern and Mr. Troy Carter Putting Army research and technology…
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Attracting an elite cadre of scientists and engineers is essential for the Army mission; Army labs need to be able to offer better pay and shorter hiring timelines to do…
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Army Educational Outreach Program aims to engage, inspire and attract the next generation of science, technology, engineering and mathematics talent. by Dr. Matt Willis The United States’ science, technology, engineering…
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You need good labs and smart people to turn out good science and technology. If the Army wants innovative solutions backed by solid R&D, it needs to pay for them.…
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By Lt. Col. Kecia Troy, Ms. Carla Miller, Mr. Joshua Erlien and Dr. Christina Bates Industry Sustainment of Army Systems For the first time in our Nation’s history, our armed…
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By John M. Spiller Thinking About Warfighting As a young Captain, I was assigned to the Command and General Staff College’s Doctrine Branch just two years after the 1982 Field…
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With high-energy lasers, the Army looks to optimize lethality and efficiency against multiple threats and targets. by Dr. Kip R. Kendrick Solid-state laser weapons offer war-fighters unique capabilities for the…
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AMRDEC pursues two missile technology solutions to strengthen the Army’s hand in close combat. by Mr. Spencer Hudson and Mr. Shannon Haataja One of the top U.S. Army modernization priorities…
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From the tangible to the cognitive, squad weapons to casualty care to performance-enhancing training, Army S&T is exploring and finding materials, technologies and methods in six focus areas to provide…
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Facing an enemy intent on creating a highly contested electromagnetic environment, S&T investments in Army networks focus on mobility, redundancy, ease of use and detection avoidance. by Mr. Seth Spoenlein,…
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By Ms. Kristy Pottol and Mr. John Getz Our Tissue Injury and Regenerative Medicine Program Management Office is tasked with a nearly impossible acquisition mission: to restore form, function and…
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By Mr. Paul C. Manz Global Position System (GPS) signals are extensively used by a multitude of Army and Joint military products and applications. GPS is highly accurate, affordable, and…
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Inherent in the coming internet of battlefield things are challenges that commercial products don’t face. But those products might have solutions to the Army's problems, which is why ARL and…
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Human performance optimization aims to take Soldiers to higher and higher peaks of physical and mental fitness. by Dr. Stephen Muza and Ms. Mallory Roussel Let’s flash back to the…
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An S&T objective looks to 'ExPED'ite and improve processing and exploitation of the avalanche of raw intelligence data. by Mr. Michael Pellicano and Ms. Danielle Duff At the tactical level,…
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Research in several areas will mature new capabilities to make Future Vertical Lift possible. by Mr. Todd Turner and Mr. Matthew Simone In the future, Army aviation systems will need…
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Targeted S&T supports new directions in network modernization by focusing on command, control, communications and intelligence capabilities for expeditionary operations featuring active electronic warfare. by Ms. Nora Pasion Army senior…
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By Lt. Col. Rachael Hoagland When people learn that I spent a year as a Training with Industry Fellow at Amazon.com, Inc. I get asked, “Did you meet Jeff Bezos?…
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Army scientists pursue advances in situational awareness, 3-D modeling and real-time data updating to help units make better decisions faster in urban combat. by Dr. Robert E. Davis, Dr. Kevin…
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By Col. Richard Haggerty Imagine yourself as the Project Manager (PM) of an Acquisition Category (ACAT) III basket portfolio who has just been tapped to lead an ACAT I Special…
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A drone directed by one or more Soldiers through uncontested skies is a thing of the past. Army aviation is developing collaborative and intelligent systems for manned and unmanned fleets…
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Development of a government-led architecture specification promises to transform Army aviation mission systems. by Mr. Scott Wigginton and Mr. William “Bill” Jacobs Mission systems provide crucial elements of our warfighting…
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An eight-month assignment as chief of contracting in Kandahar yields an abundance of lessons learned. by Maj. Michael Z. Keathley The commander’s intent for U.S. Army Expeditionary Contracting Command –…
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A back-and-forth interplay of government and commercial funding and research has brought AI to the edge of a breakthrough. by Dr. Alexander Kott Few fields of technology are as paradoxical…
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The Army’s first armed and unmanned ground vehicle is in the works. by Mr. Thomas B. Udvare In 2014, the U.S. Army Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC)…
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The next generation of Army combat vehicles will need to include manned, unmanned and optionally manned variants that include the most advanced protection, mobility, lethality and power generation capabilities to…
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Working group identifies new suite of technologies to boost aircraft survivability. by Mr. Mark Calafut U.S. Army aviation faces a diverse threat environment, spanning broad categories of threats from ballistic…
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Technologies to enhance what Soldiers ‘see’ in complex, congested environments promise to improve the information available to make decisions quickly. by Dr. Richard Nabors, Dr. Robert E. Davis and Dr.…
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Moving objects appeared as glowing blobs in early infrared vision equipment. Clarifying the picture so Soldiers could distinguish people from background objects, combatants from noncombatants, required imagination, initiative and information.…
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Or multiple sensors that work better together by Dr. Richard Nabors, Dr. Donald A. Reago Jr. and Mr. Nathan Burkholder War is the realm of uncertainty; three quarters of the…
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It’s all about the science…and the people who do it, and the problems they solve. by Mr. Steve Stark Winning in a complex world, the multidomain battlespace: These are extraordinarily…
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New technologies give the U.S. greater precision at greater range; stronger air and missile defense. by Mr. Michael Holthe Imagine a battlefield where U.S. forces do not enjoy freedom of…
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By Michael Bold FORT BELVOIR, Va. (Jan. 3, 2018)— This is big, really big—in fact, it's the single biggest issue of Army AL&T magazine, and its focus is squarely on…
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Wounds that used to kill don’t, but IED attacks leave many service members with severe, lasting damage to legs or arms. So the Tissue Injury and Regenerative Medicine office stamps…
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This column is the first in a series of articles profiling the work of defense science and technology personnel participating in the Engineer and Scientist Exchange Program, managed by the…
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The Army’s Engineer and Scientist Exchange Program gives researchers a chance to grow professionally while collaborating with U.S. allies on new technologies. by Ms. Gabriella Krohmal and Mr. Adam Genest…
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Army acquires tactical communications equipment; units lack time, resources to train with it; some deploy without it. A PEO’s liaison to the operational force breaks down this dilemma. by Brig.…
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A flock of Doves takes detailed pictures of the whole Earth every day. You’ve probably seen their photos, or read a headline informed by the data they gather. What can…
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By Mr. Michael Bold DAWIA requires career-long education for AAW members; it’s up to you to make the most of it. “Intellectual growth should commence at birth and cease…
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By Mr. Craig Spisak, Director, Acquisition Career Management There are many ways to motivate our Army Acquisition Workforce Our work as Army acquisition professionals involves everything from helicopters to radios,…
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PEO EIS’ Defensive Cyber Operations office is achieving rapid acquisition of constantly evolving IT by using consortium-based other transaction authority. by Lt. Col. Scott Helmore and Tom Cole, Brig. Gen.,…
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In future conflicts, with communication channels and evacuation routes contested, a lot more casualty care might happen right there on the battlefield itself. by Mr. Ramin A. Khalili Dr. Elliot…
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By Ms. Argie Sarantinos-Perrin Information-gathering drones swarm the air as unmanned Army vehicles push just ahead of infantry Soldiers into a mega-city overflowing with people, vehicles and high rises. Army…
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THEN & NOW 2007 & 2018 Then: a veritable ‘petting zoo’ of 7,000 unique robots, each slightly different to operate and expensive to maintain. Now: the challenge of getting all…
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Making sure your 'burn rate' doesn't overheat can be the difference between a successful program and toast. by John T. Dillard, Col., USA (Ret.) I still remember how it went…
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As it has done in the past, the Army needs to leverage innovation for modernization success. by Col. Joseph Capobianco A spark, fuel and oxygen. As simple as these elements…
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How one Army product office used strategic acquisition to drive competition and improve readiness in a specialized market dominated by two vendors. by Ms. Kimberly Davidson and Mr. James Christophersen…
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AMSAA looks at advances in solar energy as a way to maintain the batteries powering infrequently-used Army vehicles. by Mr. Kevin Guite and Mr. Brian Frymiare For those holding onto…
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by Joyce Junior Eighteen colleagues from the Army Acquisition Workforce (AAW) recently completed the first ever Coaching Pilot Program, offered by the Army Director of Career Management (DACM) Office and…
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In continuing evolution of its network, Army renames WIN-T program office PM Tactical Network by Ms. Amy Walker As the Army continues to modernize its network in today’s complex world,…
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In the absence of a single, unifying intranet, knowing where to find key resources is the next best thing. by Mr. Steve Stark When I came onboard as senior editor…
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For the World Health Organization’s assistant director-general, readiness to attack disease outbreaks is a life-and-death imperative with multiple dimensions that have much in common with the U.S. military. by Ms.…
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USAASC PERSPECTIVE From the director, U.S. Army Acquisition Support Center Community-built plan to take care of the acquisition workforce and, by extension, the Soldiers it serves “If you don't know…
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By Steven Brown, director of Enterprise Resource Planning Integration for PEO EIS; Frank Distasio, principal business integration consultant; Beth Missar, PM GFEBS audit lead; and Jonathan Case, U.S. Army Finance…
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A downloadable, Army-specific translation app made possible by machine learning enables individual Soldiers to communicate anywhere, with or without internet access or local translators. by Mr. Michael Doney, Dr. Christina…
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PEO Ammunition adapts new technology to produce improved, more lethal ammunition for 155 mm artillery. by Mr. Peter Burke and Ms. Tara Sarruda Since the 1970s, ammunition improvements for 155…
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PM PERSPECTIVE COL. CHARLES M. “CHARLIE” STEIN by Mr. James Christophersen This column is the first in a new Army AL&T series, PM Perspective, which looks at acquisition from the…
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The Army chief of staff’s No. 1 priority means a lot of different things to different people. For the acquisition community, many agree that supporting readiness calls for a cradle-to-grave…
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Nine objectives together guide the Army Acquisition Workforce to support Soldiers’ success on the battlefield by embracing efficiency, adaptability, knowledge, innovation and other key principles of professionalism Steffanie B. Easter,…
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Are you ready? New issue of Army AL&T magazine focuses on readiness By Michael Bold FORT BELVOIR, Va. (Oct. 2, 2017)—Readiness, says Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Milley, is…
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Instead of KISS (keeping it super simple), requirement writers for ACAT III programs often go to absurd lengths to document what a product should do—even when the product is already…
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USAMRMC leads the way in research to prevent, diagnose and treat service members’ psychological injuries. by Col. Dennis McGurk, Lt. Cmdr. Christopher Steele, Capt. Leonard D. Skipper, Dr. Ronda Renosky…
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From the standpoint of ASA(ALT)’s test and evaluation unit, there’s a better way to support test and evaluation events, one that would directly improve operational readiness. by Ms. Laura Pegher,…
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There aren’t very many industrial property management specialists, but the work they do to account for government property can be vitally important to DOD and the Army. by Ms. Sabrina…
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One year on, the Army Rapid Capabilities Office is breaking the 'one-size-fits-all' acquisition approach to combating rising threats. by Lt. Col. Marcos A. Cervantes Last August, senior Army leaders unveiled…
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New family of munitions enhances training and increases capabilities and lethality. by Mr. James Terhune For nearly 30 years, 40 mm grenades have been a mainstay on the battlefield, undergoing…
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Maj. Gen. Cedric T. Wins, RDECOM commanding general, answers questions about how RDECOM solves problems that Soldiers face today, as well as what the Army will face in the future.…
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More than 30 initiatives are underway, and we’re just getting started. by Ms. Joan L. Sable October 2017 marks the completion of the first year of a five-year Army Acquisition…
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PM Mission Command gave potential developers of the new artillery command and control system more time, more information and more latitude to approach the problem in new ways. In return,…
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What if multiple brigades of deploying Soldiers suddenly needed combat uniforms? Meeting challenges such as this one, strategically and creatively, before a conflict arises is the true test of readiness…
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Using the Future Airborne Capability Environment open system approach to disrupt the current acquisition process. by Dr. Alicia Taylor Technology is changing and progressing rapidly. Upgrades to sensors, cameras, communication…
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Strengthening allied nations’ defense abilities through training, equipment sales and other forms of cooperation is a vital part of U.S. national security. The FY17 NDAA was the first NDAA to…
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Everybody—at least, every branch of the military—wants a laser gun. The theoretical possibility of a silent beam of energy that turns enemy weapons to toast has been explored in the…
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U.S. military efforts in biological warfare defense readiness prove themselves with Ebola response. by Dr. George W. Christopher, Lt. Col., USAF, MC (Ret) The 2014-2016 outbreak of Ebola virus disease…
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The AMP tank round would give M1A2 Abrams tanks more lethality while combining the functions of four existing rounds—anti-armor, breaching and anti-personnel capabilities—in a single piece of ammunition. by Mr.…
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JPEO-CBD seeks to reduce acquisition lead time through tailored professional training workshops with DAU by Mr. Jeff Megargel “Opportunities multiply as they are seized.” – Sun Tzu As the Trump…
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CERDEC’s talent management initiative incorporates a new, enterprisewide approach to help employees reach their goals while strengthening the organization. by Mr. John S. Willison Two years ago, the U.S. Army’s…
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AcqDemo and upcoming improvements significantly empower acquisition organizations and their teams to focus on contributing to successful execution of the acquisition mission. by Mr. Jerold A. Lee The most significant…
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In 30 years of studying and teaching leadership, Harvard Business School Professor Linda A. Hill has seen the numerous ways that understanding oneself and the organization well makes for better…
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AAW’s importance to the mission makes professional development all the more vital From The Army Acquisition Executive Ms. Steffanie B. Easter Ms. Steffanie B. EasterThe Army Acquisition Executive As the…
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A look at the systems, participants and firsts from more than a dozen NIEs. by Ms. Nancy Jones-Bonbrest The Army rolled out its new network modernization strategy with a flourish.…
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By Michael Bold FORT BELVOIR, Va. (July 3, 2017)—The Army Acquisition Workforce is charged with equipping Soldiers to fight and win America’s battles. And it’s that workforce that stands front…
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This career basic helps acquisition workforce members keep track of what they need to do and when. By Mr. Robert E. Coultas Jobs in defense acquisition are unlike most others…
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The AALPC primes program managers for success as acquisition leaders by Craig A. Spisak Director, U.S. Army Acquisition Support Center One of the imperatives for a program manager (PM) to…
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PEO CS&CSS makes a two-pronged effort to maximize the effectiveness of the SRPE and get the most from its workforce. by Mr. Scott J. Davis Last quarter, Craig A. Spisak,…
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USAMMDA’s highly specialized workforce needs training to match its mission. It’s getting it, thanks to DAWDF funding. by Ms. Kathleen L. Berst and Ms. Judy L. Holian As the premier…
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Predictive Resource Staffing Models make staffing a program office easier and faster. A model for the program management community is available now; models for contracting, R&D, T&E and logistics are…
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‘Trail bosses’ in evolving NIE, JWA seize the chance to grow professionally as their roles expand in planning and executing the large-scale exercises. by Ms. Nancy Jones-Bonbrest The Army’s Network…
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JLTV, Army’s and Marines’ newest wheeled asset, follows in the venerable tracks of Jeep, HMMWV Mr. Robert Coultas Over the past few decades, the character of military conflict has changed…
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There’s a proven way to drive down defense acquisition costs, and it works especially well for the complex, high-tech platforms prone to big cost overruns. You’ve heard of it: the…
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Crunching data provides clearer image of organizational diversity. by Mr. Thom Hawkins You can never be sure, when you look in a mirror, that what you see is what other…
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Invest in more business education for PMs, and reap returns in the short term—good products at an appropriate price—and long—repaired credibility for defense acquisition. by Robert F. Mortlock, Col., USA…
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Fielding the Global Combat Support System – Army posed formidable training challenges. The product management office opted for a slow-and-steady approach that introduces users to the new logistics software over…
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CERDEC's STEM Superstar program uses pop culture, superheroes and everyday activities to show elementary school kids that STEM is everywhere. by Ms. Erica Fineman-Bertoli One afternoon when my son was…
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Rotational assignment program develops and retains talent across the security assistance workforce. by Mr. Adam Genest and Ms. Carly Glenn In Huntsville, Alabama, Nick Curry’s bags were packed. He was…
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T2C2: Reducing complexity and providing proper training enable unit-sustained systems. by Maj. Jonathan Lipscomb Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to…
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JMC brings new employees aboard with its AMPED program to develop a workforce that’s energized, committed and engaged. by Ms. Erica Slattery, Ms. Heather Tahja and Ms. Nicole Kirschmann Faced…
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Logistics demonstrations ready a suite of tools to improve the Army’s tactical network by inviting Soldiers to test the supporting documents in the fielding package. by Lt. Col. Mark Henderson…
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The Army's new director of operations at the Rapid Capabilities Office arrived at his post from the Army's Talent Management Task Force. He discusses how the Army views, gets and…
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HAPPENING NOW: SCIENCE A student conducts an experiment at a 2016 STEM Expo held at Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG), Maryland. The Army’s efforts to encourage STEM literacy are…
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Lessons in working with what you have and building what you don’t by Kevin Guite The past several years have been a tricky time for hiring, developing and retaining good…
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Program managers need the right mix of character and action to build a foundation of trust. by Col. Joel D. Babbitt Credibility gives authority and brings trust; it is the…
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Our interview for the April – June Critical Thinking with Paul Scharre—he’s a Ranger vet who did tours in Iraq and Afghanistan who is now a robotics expert at the…
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ARL intelligent systems S&T is leading to a tactical offset strategy for operations in a range of challenging settings. by Dr. Brian M. Sadler The desire for a third offset…
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Our interview for the April – June Critical Thinking with Paul Scharre—he's a Ranger vet who did tours in Iraq and Afghanistan who is now a robotics expert at the…
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Our interview for the April – June Critical Thinking with Paul Scharre—he’s a Ranger vet who did tours in Iraq and Afghanistan who is now a robotics expert at the…
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A good jungle boot is one of a Soldier’s bare necessities—and the system for providing those necessities would make Mowgli’s head spin. Mowgli had to deal with jungle cats; he…
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Our interview for the April – June Critical Thinking with Paul Scharre—he's a Ranger vet who did tours in Iraq and Afghanistan who is now a robotics expert at the…
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Rapid and evolutionary acquisition bring some change to OT, but some things will remain constant—like surprises. by John T. Dillard, Col., USA (Ret.) Many years ago, Dr. Philip E. Coyle…
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Our interview for the April – June Critical Thinking with Paul Scharre—he's a Ranger vet who did tours in Iraq and Afghanistan who is now a robotics expert at the…
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Ex-Army Ranger Paul Scharre, formerly in OSD and now with the Center for a New American Security, fears DOD bureaucratic resistance could the pump brakes on progress in machine intelligence.…
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The Senior Rater Potential Evaluation is key to identifying the AAW’s civilian future leaders. Perspective from the USAASC Director Craig Spisak Nothing that I or any other leader within the…
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Robotics, artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing offer the warfighter new dimensions of survivability and lethality From The Army Acquisition Executive Steffanie B. Easter In the future, our Army will transcend…
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By Michael Bold FORT BELVOIR, Va. (April 3, 2017)—Robotics, artificial intelligence (AI), additive manufacturing and autonomous weapon systems are rapidly changing the way the Army fights. How it’s changing, and…
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By Michael Bold FORT BELVOIR, Va. (March 30, 2017)—Following an unprecedented number of votes cast, award-winning Army AL&T magazine announced today the winners of its annual “ALTies” honors, celebrating the…
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Earning DAWIA certification is challenging but not impossible, and it creates a smarter, stronger acquisition workforce. By Robert E. Coultas There are jobs, and then there are careers. And for…
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An acquisition program office brings together a multitude of professional specialties, each with its own specialized language. It’s the PM’s job to understand, interpret, translate, and unite. by Col. Joel…
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RDECOM science advisers assigned to commands in the field are poised to respond to capability gaps quickly—often with a prototype produced with 3-D printing. by Ms. Argie Sarantinos-Perrin If Gloria…
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PM MAS secures ManTech and R&D funds to enable the industrial base to experiment with green machining to produce the next generation small-caliber round. by Mrs. Marta Hess, Mr. Jeremy…
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Stakeholders broke out of traditional roles while testing and evaluating cybersecurity at NIE 16.2, learning that when red and blue teams talk earlier and more often, cyber systems get stronger.…
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The battlefield of the future could be exponentially more complex than any the Army has known, and that’s why TATRC is looking forward to novel ways to treat and evacuate…
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As DOD faces a Sept. 30 deadline to be ready for its first-ever independent financial review, ACC zeroes in on contractors’ government-furnished property to improve accountability. by Chief Warrant Officer…
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A new class of DAU Senior Service College Fellowship graduates in May, fresh from an intense, 10-month look at the whole Army and what's at stake for acquisition leaders. by…
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PEO Ammunition and ARDEC have a patent-pending and cost-effective way to LFT the 155 mm high-explosive round for increased anti-materiel performance by Mr. Paul Manz In an attempt to partially…
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1971, 1988, 2017: Nearly 50 years ago, Army began tinkering with driverless vehicles. By Mr. Robert E. Coultas Almost every day we hear or read about advances in transportation technology—from…
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Writing in plain language saves time and money while earning trust from taxpayers, Soldiers and businesses. Plus, it’s the law. by Ms. Mary Kate Aylward Writing in plain language is:…
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Autonomous control of routine, time-consuming tasks could free up commanders to concentrate on more difficult decisions. by Mr. James Hennig, Dr. Peter Schwartz and Ms. Kathryn Bailey When the fight…
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SREHD SCANNING: SREHD’s onboard stereo camera helps it maneuver through urban or rough terrain with minimal input from the human operator. The robotic system provides Soldiers the freedom…
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A first for ARDEC: Researchers fire 3-D printed ammo out of a 3-D printed grenade launcher. by Mr. Seung kook “Sunny” Burns and Mr. James Zunino Researchers at the U.S.…
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Imagine trying to create a picture of the internet. Even if you could, it’d be out of date in seconds. Trying to visualize the cyber battlefield is roughly like that—and…
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OSD Logistics Fellows take on staff assignments and training in a collaborative learning program that allows participants to view the DOD enterprise logistics community from the highest level. by Mr.…
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When reality strikes in contract administration for Army helicopters, DCMA Sikorsky Aircraft – Stratford fills in the gaps with real-time information and critical multifunctional expertise. by Maj. Rob Massey and…
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Avoiding pitfalls when acquiring systems for unmanned and cyber warfare. by Ms. Jill Iracki Today’s ever-changing battlefield and rapid advances in technology call for systems that are more intelligent, independent…
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Does DOD set PMs up for failure with impossibly complex mega-programs built on immature technology? After a career in uniform supporting Army acquisition followed by a second career teaching acquisition,…
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The Ottawa Treaty banning ‘dumb’ landmines caused a major capability gap in terrain shaping, area access and area denial, but it also created a massive possibility for innovation—and teamwork between…
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by Ms. Margaret C. Roth Time was, not long ago, that the only vision for a new Army combat vehicle was the Army’s. The service would develop a requirement detailing,…
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by Mr. Steve Stark and Ms. Margaret C. Roth With the establishment of the Forum for Innovative Novel Discovery (FIND) and the Capabilities Information Exchange (CIE), TRADOC has broken new…
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With the help of groundbreaking efforts by professional combat developers, requirements writers and program managers, ARCIC is looking to thaw the glacial pace of acquisition and speed capabilities to the…
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New initiative leverages the standard Army supply system to support COTS IT within the C4ISR domain. by Mr. Dan J. Quinn, Mr. Allen J. Hardison and Chief Warrant Officer 5…
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The first principle of any defense acquisition must be the welfare of the warfighter, more than the program’s future, although it isn’t always so. by John T. Dillard, Col., USA…
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Strengthening ties with the intelligence community From the Director, U.S. Army Acquisition Support Center How well do the acquisition and intelligence communities synchronize their efforts, coordinate their activities and communicate…
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Rosie the robot learns about the world, with help from a plethora of ARL-designed sensors by Dr. Joseph Conroy and Mr. Earl Jared Shamwell If you ever watched “The Jetsons,”…
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By Mr. Robert E. Coultas and Ms. Susan L. Follett The seeds of the now-ubiquitous integrated product team took root some 20 years ago, producing a major shift in mindset…
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Central management of medical materiel keeps four fully stocked combat support hospitals at the ready. by Maj. Nikki L. Davis More than a dozen years of combat have offered many…
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The namesake of the Major General Harold J. “Harry” Greene Awards for Acquisition Writing cherished the talent, creativity and expertise of the defense acquisition workforce. by Lt. Gen. Michael E.…
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None of what the Army Rapid Capabilities Office does can be found in a requirements document, so the office’s director of operations, Maj. Gen. Walter E. Piatt, provides an overview…
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Fifteen years of irregular warfare took a toll on the capabilities needed to defeat a peer competitor. So, when a recent RAND Corp. study prompted stunning headlines, it was nothing…
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Army acquisition is advancing from reform to strategic thinking From the Army Acquisition Executive Ms. Steffanie B. Easter The ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus wrote that the “only constant is change,”…
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By Michael Bold FORT BELVOIR, Va. (Jan. 4, 2016)—Just what is strategic acquisition? It’s a holistic, cradle-to-grave view of acquisition, from design to procurement to testing to deployment to sustainment…
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USASAC’s FMS efforts around the world benefit warfighters, industry and the defense acquisition community closer to home. Ms. Adriane Elliot, USASAC Public Affairs Like its embattled cousin acquisition reform, strategic…
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From the Director, Acquisition Career Management Lt. Gen. Michael E. Williamson Achieving dominance starts early, at weapon system design, and continues to procurement, testing and deployment all the way to…
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The Joint Tactical Networking Center shares lessons learned in providing software-defined radio products to enable strategic acquisition. by Lt. Col. Matthew A. “Matt” Jury It is much easier to define…
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Started at Stanford and soon to be nationwide, this class turns college students loose on national security problems, and expects results. by Mr. William Treseder and Mr. Darren Halford Team…
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A suite of changes to the acquisition lessons learned portal makes it easier to learn from others who’ve fought similar battles. by Mr. Steve Stark and Mr. Robert E. Coultas…
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With a startup mindset, military know-how and a wide-ranging network of technology partners, Peter Newell, the former head of the Army’s Rapid Equipping Force, and Jackie Space, a former Air…
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Being a good steward of taxpayer dollars means thinking and acting decisively. That's just what CCAS and ECC-A did—examining and consolidating the contracts under its purview to make it easier…
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ARL releases its first open source software and explores the options, benefits and challenges of making similar releases in the future by Mr. Joshua Edwards Army computer science innovators have…
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JPEO-CBD takes a fresh look at the required analysis of alternatives and finds ways to make it a more effective, less time-consuming tool. by Ms. Breena Berté and Mr. Marshall…
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Respondents to Army AL&T magazine's biennial survey of its readers were thoughtful and incisive, and provided much food for thought for the magazine's staff. (And, oh, by the way, can…
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DASA(P) looks ahead to new possibilities for streamlining acquisition as a new congressionally created panel embarks on a sweeping review. by Mr. Harry P. Hallock A few months ago, I…
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Winning isn’t everything, but it sure feels good. Follow these tips to make your next award nomination a winner. By Ms. Susan L. Follett The Army Acquisition Workforce includes more…
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DIUx, DOD’s outreach to the tech community, has developed commercial solutions opening, an OTA mechanism that moves from first contact to final contract in 60 days or less. And DIUx…
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Reverse auctions turn sellers into bidders and drive competition. by Ms. Stacy Watson In January 2016, Computer Hardware Software and Solutions (CHESS) launched its reverse auction capability through the CHESS…
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RDECOM explores new ways of using 3-D printing to meet Soldiers’ needs quickly and inexpensively while minimizing the logistics footprint. by Argie Sarantinos-Perrin A Soldier heads back to camp, grabs…
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Brig. Gen. Karl Gingrich looks at acquisition through the eyes of an operations research analyst to bring clarity to the readiness, fielding and operations of the Army’s tactical network by…
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The president and CEO of Bell Helicopter draws on the company’s decades of defense experience to provide insights for the way ahead. by Mr. Mitch Snyder A MAN ON THE…
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All programs are ACAT I, with all the bureaucracy and paperwork that implies, even when they’re ACAT II or III—except when they’re ‘tailored to the characteristics of the product being…
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Acquisition ‘reform’ is on the table again, as it has been at least once in each decade since the end of World War II, such that it seems like ‘Groundhog…
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The bottom line for winners of the Maj. Gen. Harold “Harry” J. Greene Award? Support the Soldier by Mr. Brian Beall A lifesaving medical device, a mobile app that improves…
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William J. Perry, secretary of defense during the Clinton administration, discusses acquisition reform, program managers and his worries about a nuclear catastrophe. Dr. William J. PerryProfessor (emeritus) at Stanford University,…
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By valuing individual and group potential, the Human Capital Strategic Plan points the way to success for the Army Acquisition Workforce From the Director, U.S. Army Acquisition Support Center Craig…
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The Human Capital Strategic Plan: What does it mean for you? by Ms. Joan L. Sable Shaped by two important factors—the Army priority of readiness and the Army acquisition executive’s…
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From the Director, Acquisition Career Management Lt. Gen. Michael E. Williamson To deliver complex capabilities to the warfighter takes a lot of different players, all focused on the same mission.…
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Building on lessons from OIF and OEF and taking a page from an Air Force playbook, the Army is creating a Rapid Capabilities Office to address new threats. by Mr.…
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Overcoming acquisition reform challenges with cost-saving solutions From The Army Acquisition Executive The Honorable Katrina McFarland Following his confirmation as secretary of the Army in May 2016, the Hon. Eric…
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By Michael Bold FORT BELVOIR, Va. (Oct. 3, 2016)—From our country’s earliest days, dissatisfaction with the defense acquisition system has been a recurring theme. Commission after commission and study after…
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One-size-fits-all spending rules don’t always serve the unpredictable needs of contingency contracting. Here’s one simple fix. by Lt. Col. William C. Latham Jr. (USA, Ret.) “You may ask me for…
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For the Hon. Frank Kendall, there is no magic called ‘acquisition reform.’ His objective is ‘acquisition improvement,’ and it starts with hard work and critical thinking about Better Buying Power.…
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Ordered to attend the yearlong resident course at CGSC, an acquisition officer thought his career advancement was totally derailed. Instead, the course was life-altering, providing unexpected insight—and a determination to…
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Integration, both a process and a mindset, holds the key to addressing a range of threats to the U.S., from the near-peer to the low-tech. by Dr. Richard Nabors and…
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Vendors share prototypes for weapon sights in a new mix-and-match approach to building interoperability into integrated Soldier systems for the best overall performance at the best overall price. by Maj.…
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An Army acquisition officer assigned to a stint with Amazon sees firsthand where the consumer giant’s corporate values and those of the military merge and diverge. by Lt. Col. Steven…
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Construction contracting in Qatar provides a user-level view of acquisition reform, its possibilities and its challenges. by Maj. Michael J. Carroll and Capt. Sarah Lark Acquisition reform generally happens at…
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Piggybacks and workarounds: The Acquisition Lessons Learned Portal contains a wealth of information on new ways to use existing processes to get weapons to warfighters in less time. by Ms.…
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Acquisition is a slow process by nature; always has been, always will be. Or is it? Could the remedy be as simple as getting out of our own way? In…
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The Army and General Dynamics collaborate to help sustain the Scranton Army Ammunition Plant against market and fiscal pressures. by Ms. Melissa Markos Much has changed since the 15-acre Scranton…
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From the Carlucci initiatives of the 1980s to BBP 3.0 today, reform is a central theme of acquisition by Michael Bold Thirty-five years ago, defense acquisition reform dominated the cover…
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Providing strong, clear direction in the face of ambiguity is vital to an acquisition program’s success. by Col. Luke Cropsey and Mr. Peter Burke There is an old adage about…
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The 413th CSB works to strengthen teamwork between CCOs and attorneys—a relationship that’s becoming more important as the military’s operational focus shifts to the Pacific. by Capt. James S. Kim…
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Army AL&T News On Wednesday, the Colombian government and the country’s largest rebel group announced an agreement to end their 52-year civil war. What's not making today's headlines is the…
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Army PNT program uses open systems architecture, competitive prototyping to spur continuous innovation. by Mr. Kevin Coggins While acquisition reformers debate changes intended to put programs on the path to…
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Army acquisition reform starts with inspiring the workforce. A deep dive into a handful of surveys sheds light on how to do that. by Mr. Nicholaus Saacks As dialogue intensifies…
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USAMMA finds efficiencies in medical materiel procurement, fielding and sustainment to reduce the logistical footprint and optimize readiness with limited resources. by Col. David R. Gibson In the Army, we…
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CSTC-A’s Capabilities Development Directorate helps Afghan officers learn how to build, employ and resource units. by Col. Garrett D. Heath and Lt. Stephen E. Webber On Camp Resolute Support in…
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The path to enlightenment is not a straightforward one, for people or for data. That’s why flexibility is key when reaching for answers, and why it's necessary to stretch data…
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The U.S. military is at a historic crossroads, as DOD acknowledges that indisputable U.S. military dominance is a thing of the past. As DOD and the Army seek to marshal…
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An atomic engine that has all of the power but none of the moving parts by Dr. Brendan Hanrahan What if atomic crystals could send pulse power to light up…
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With all due respect, you don’t know jack: A former program manager offers his idea for effective acquisition reform – giving MDA to PEOs by Dr. Robert F. Mortlock, Col.,…
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Partnering with industry early in a program life cycle can highlight new and unexpected ways to act on Better Buying Power principles. One industry-academia consortium offers research and development, facilitates…
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Handed new responsibilities, Army Sustainment Command builds services contract management from the ground up. by Mr. Jerome Jastrab Government contracting is indeed a complicated and, at times, perplexing business. It’s…
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Harvard and Walter Reed scientists collaborate in an effort to protect humans from a mosquito-borne virus. by Col. Nelson L. Michael and Col. Stephen J. Thomas Researchers at Walter Reed…
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‘America’s cannon factory’ used a public-private partnership to save its skilled workforce from a postwar dip in demand and preserve a critical manufacturing capability in the Army’s organic industrial base.…
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Tasked with delivering ammunition for weapons ranging from handguns to tanks, PM MAS customizes strategies and partnerships with the private sector to develop the best solutions for the warfighter. by…
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When GPS goes out, the chip-scale atomic clock may be coming to the rescue. by Mr. John Delcolliano and Mr. Paul Olson Accurate time is crucial to our military. It…
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PEO EIS and ARCYBER found something interesting in analyzing the government’s off-the-shelf big data systems: Nearly all are built using high-quality, open-source software. With a similar, government-owned platform, DOD would…
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PEO C3T keeps up with rapid technological changes by taking a competitive approach to buying the latest commercial products so that it can get the best to Soldiers faster. by…
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Strong partnerships with industry are more important than ever as R&D funding declines and need for innovation grows From the Honorable Katrina McFarland In recent years, Army AL&T magazine has…
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By Michael Bold FORT BELVOIR, Va. (July 5, 2016) -- Government and industry working together to ensure that warfighters have the equipment they need is the theme of the July-…
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Six Army programs arrived at a single enterprise resource planning solution independently, then turned better buying power into best buying power by working together to bring the licensing costs down…
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An urgent need leads to a quick off-the-shelf acquisition—a common story. PEO EIS adds two footnotes: Buy the data rights upfront, and get the original manufacturer to write the technical…
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With the changing coalition mission in Afghanistan, contingency contracting has also changed markedly, requiring a broader array of skills and training for a wider range of responsibilities. by Mr. Gordon…
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As ubiquitous as ‘the cloud’ is in the commercial world, that is not the case with the Army because of security requirements. But an Army cloud is not far away…
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Winning in a complex world means that the Army must prepare for combined arms maneuver and wide area security, and that means area denial. However, systems like FASCAM have significant…
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Pseudolites help pave the Army’s path to assured positioning, navigation and timing, providing a ‘protective bubble’ for Soldiers when satellite signals are degraded or denied. by Maj. Troy Houston If…
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DAWDF helps commands support the Army Acquisition Workforce From the Director, U.S. Army Acquisition Support Center Craig Spisak Director, U.S. Army Acquisition Support Center The Army Director for Acquisition Career…
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A technique called ‘clean-sheeting’ lets project managers work from the ground up to hunt for cost savings when dealing with a sole-sourced product with proprietary technical data. by Maj. Kenneth…
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Leaders of PEO C3T and CECOM discuss how, by synchronizing efforts across differing missions, Army partnerships can make sustainment more effective and support the best possible solutions for the warfighter.…
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Official corruption has been likened more than once to cancer—it's a disease that destroys systems from the inside out, betraying everyone—and Afghanistan has one of the worst reputations in the…
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Sustain internally, outsource the whole job—or recognize that, as complex as artillery systems are these days, few organizations have all of the expertise needed to sustain them. So two Army…
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When the 82nd Airborne Division deployed to take command of training, advising and assisting Iraqi security forces, its partnership with the 900th Contracting Battalion was already solid. by Maj. Timothy…
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The CSTC-A has made considerable strides to establish processes to ensure that taxpayer dollars are used responsibly and effectively to create a strong, capable ANDSF. by Maj. Gen. Daniel P.…
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AAE committed to Better Buying Power, funding R&D and supporting the workforce From the Army Acquisition Executive The Honorable Katrina McFarland Since its inception, the United States Army has answered…
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By Mary Kate Aylward Fort Belvoir, Va. (March 30, 2016) – The April – June issue of Army AL&T magazine is online now, and it’s two in one. The April…
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PM MAS partners with small businesses to develop the next generation of small caliber ammunition, designed to reduce the weight by up to 30 percent. by Ms. Natasha Owens When…
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ARDEC and JMC worked together to develop an ammunition standard that reduces ambiguity, ensures quality and safety for Soldiers and promotes competition by making the procurement process more transparent for…
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With AMC accounting for more than half of the Army’s total small business awards, its Offices of Small Business Programs use numerous approaches to set the stage for success in…
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Five years after its introduction, will-cost/ should-cost has proved its value as a tool for boosting productivity and affordability in acquisition programs—more so in some circumstances than others. The question…
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The high-tech Army is creating opportunities as small businesses play an increasingly pivotal role in the evolution of the tactical network, and sensible use of the SBIR program is a…
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Short of qualified small businesses, the 413th CSB expanded its outreach, data collection and sharing to find ones that could meet its mission. by Col. Kevin M. Nash When it…
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ASC and JMC, who together support “big Army” in a big way, used set-asides, a regional symposium with other commands and an industry week to award $916 million in work…
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The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers offers five lessons learned for building relationships with and between small businesses. by Ms. Crystal E. Teed At its core, running a successful small…
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The Small Business Innovation Research program enables RDECOM to ride a wave of small business ingenuity to help the warfighter, bringing transformative technologies to existing programs at low cost. by…
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Working Soldiers to failure is a costly mistake, and until recently it’s been anybody’s guess at what temperature and exertion rate a given Soldier would max out. But now, wearable,…
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Heidi Shyu’s legacy in Army acquisition From the Principle Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and Technology Mr. Gabriel Camarillo Throughout a five-year period of remarkable change…
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CEOs, founders and other entrepreneurs from the small business world sound off about what’s right and what’s wrong with how the Army engages with small business For this issue of…
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Army small business director Tommy Marks seeks to build on a strong foundation with four program pillars—mission, compliance, outreach and training—in line with Better Buying Power principles. The objective: to…
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By Steve Stark With billions in contracting dollars going to small businesses for both products and services, there’s no question that small companies are big business for the Army. That’s…
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PEO STRI takes a unique approach to tracking modeling and simulation requirements, using Google Earth to communicate visually what a synthetic terrain representation needs to show—clear, detailed requirements generated in…
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Selling military equipment to allied nations has many benefits—boosting our allies’ capabilities and thereby strengthening U.S. posture; facilitating military cooperation—but it’s a sensitive process that requires careful planning. PM CAS…
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Forced by budget constraints to reduce costs, ATEC is applying a comprehensive strategy across developmental and operational testing, incorporating Soldier participation and feedback early in the process for better data.…
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During the last decade of conflict, MRAPs rolled out of forward operating bases in Diyala and Ghazni and patrolled the streets of Kabul and Baghdad. MRAPs saved lives, protecting coalition…
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USASAC streamlines the Excess Defense Articles process, speeding up sales of excess materiel and cutting down on expensive mothballing to save millions, reduce excess inventory and keep the organic industrial…
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The Army Operating Concept dictates that “future forces conduct operations consistent with the tenet of adaptability, anticipating dangers and opportunities and adjusting operations to seize, retain, and exploit the initiative.”…
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With CMMI Level 5 processes, RDECOM’s ARDEC pursues reuse of government-owned IP and hardware to drive down the costs and shorten schedules for software-intensive weapon systems to more quickly field…
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Corporate strategist, defense investor and student of complex systems Pierre Chao understands the many shades of innovation, particularly how it differs—widely—from the government to the commercial sector. And he has…
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PM P2E supports a globally connected Army—and the “global” part can be a real challenge, as requests for IT acquisition support flow in from around the world, including many urgent…
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PEO Ammunition creates greater flexibility to procure medium-caliber ammunition with an innovative acquisition strategy to make ‘family buys,’ reducing ammunition costs and keeping its industrial base warm. By Maj. Edwin…
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Just as no mission plan survives contact with the enemy, few chalkboard designs survive first contact with the Soldier. Because of that, CERDEC is leveraging its prototyping integration capabilities to…
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Responding to unique contracting challenges, DOD has made a major strategic change in contingency contracting administration services to support U.S. forces in Africa—from the fight against the Lord’s Resistance Army…
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PM Soldier Weapons teams with ARL’s Human Research and Engineering Directorate and the Maneuver CoE to incorporate human systems integration early in weapon system development, to ensure that weapons are…
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By Ms. Nancy Jones-Bonbrest There’s a fundamental rule on the battlefield: To command effectively, you must be able to communicate. The Army continues its push to modernize mission command capabilities…
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By Col. Michael E. Sloane and Mr. Charles Meixner Foreign military sales (FMS) are a team sport. Success requires a great deal of coordination and contributions from the Army acquisition…
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FROM THE ARMY ACQUISITION EXECUTIVE THE HONORABLE HEIDI SHYU Investing in S&T to confront the future threat In October 2014, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command rolled out the latest…
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By Steve Stark FORT BELVOIR, Va. (Sept. 28, 2015) – Innovation is often assumed to be the next big thing, but more often, it’s incremental upgrades to the way things…
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